Dance with me
by Happymood
Summary: AU Antonio's hands roamed over his body, sensually, slowly, until they rested on his face, turning Romano to face him. Green eyes stared at him and Romano felt there was no one else in the room but him and his tango teacher. Spamano in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_Romano ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He bumped into people, tried to not trip over bags and children and, so un__characteristically from him, he didn't stop to glare at whoever dared to insult him. In that moment he couldn't care less while his eyes searched frantically around. He hoped he wasn't too late… no, he'll never forgive himself if he did… _

_As Romano ran and cried his name over and over again, trying to push harshly aside whoever blocked his vision, his mind wondered back to that fateful day when Romano's life had changed forever, even if he didn't know back then… _

_One year before…_

"So… how about you bring to the awesome me a cup of coffee, Mr. Vargas?" the annoying voice from the other side of the phone stated. Romano puffed, trying to balance the phone between his shoulder and ear and the pack of papers he was holding with both hands.

"Mr. Vargas! I need ten copies of this!" a large woman walked over to him just in that moment and Romano turned abruptly to her, almost dropping everything, papers and phone alike, on the floor. The woman smiled at him, looking more hostile than friendly, and without waiting for an answer she shoved the piece of paper she was holding on the rest of the documents the brown haired man tried to keep with all his might from the floor.

"Hey, are you listening?" the voice on the phone screeched, making Romano jump. All around him telephones ringed, people walked up and down the hall, answering calls, talking, arguing, doing their paperwork and… ordering Romano around, it seemed…

"I heard you, Mr. Beilschmidt…"Romano said then, using his most kind tone of voice, or trying to use, at least.

"Vice-president Beilschmidt!" the voice chuckled.

"_Vice-_president…" Romano slurred the word and Mr. Beilschmidt humph-ed, getting the message.

"Don't make me wait! I have a lot of work to do…" Mr. Beilschmidt exclaimed before breaking the conversation and Romano stood there listening to the annoying _tut-tut-tut_ of the phone. The 22 years old man sighed and then tried to switch off the mobile with his shoulder but the sudden movement almost made him drop the papers in his hands.

"Damn it…" he cursed and tried again, slower this time.

"Mr. Vargas!" a tall man wearing glasses exclaimed. Romano cursed again and started to casually walk away, his head titling weirdly to the side and pretended he hadn't heard. "Mr. Vargas!" the man said louder and Romano tsk-ed and turned around.

"Yes, Mr. Von Bock?" Romano closed his eyes and counted to ten, as his father told him to do when he was ready to lose nerve. The blond haired man stared at him for a moment, and then warily continued:

"The president wants to see you in a few…" Von Bock said and Romano's opened his eyes wide, the phone falling on the floor.

"Why?" Romano squealed, manly he would later declare, "What did I do now!"

Von Bock just shrugged, picked up the mobile phone and put it on top of the pack of papers. "I don't know…" he replied then and quickly left Romano alone.

If the president wanted to see him, Romano thought, it was not a good sign. That bastard… did he want to fire him? He knew he wasn't a good secretary… but he worked and, most of the time, finished the silly, stupid, maddening jobs they required from him. Romano was going to be fired, wasn't he? The thought made shivers ran down his spine in anxiety.

Since his father died some years ago Romano found himself alone to take care of his brother, two years younger than him. They didn't have a lot of money and soon enough Romano had to drop college to find a job to maintain the both of them.

"I'll drop college too!" Feliciano, his brother had said the day Romano declared his decision to start searching for a job. "I don't want you to face this alone!"

Romano had shaken his head no and as much as Feliciano tried to convince his brother to let him work too, he always denied. Romano didn't want Feliciano to let go of his dreams, he would never forgive himself if he did. Feliciano, unlike Romano, was too talented, too sure about what he wanted to do to let everything go. Romano didn't want to see his brother unhappy…

"A no is a no!" Romano exclaimed, cutting Feliciano in the middle of his speech. "And besides… it's not so much of a deal…" he continued. "I didn't like college all that much, anyway…" he smiled a little, trying to make his brother feel better.

Nevertheless, Feliciano tried to make Romano change idea until one day he silently accepted Romano's decision. But now… here he was. The president wanted to see him and maybe fire him. What should he do? What should he…

"Boo!" someone whispered in his ear from behind.

"_Chigii_!" Romano screeched and threw all his papers in the air. Romano stared at the papers floating for a moment and then turned abruptly to the woman behind him, who was laughing her heart out.

"Man! You should have seen your face!" she laughed, her shoulder shaking with mirth.

"Elizabeta!" Romano pouted and fell down on his knees, trying to collect of the papers before someone stomped on them. The brown haired woman dropped on her knees too and started to help him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she said even if Romano didn't know if he should take her seriously or not, knowing well enough, after two years of working together, how much of a troublemaker Elizabeta could be. In a matter of minutes the entire pack was back in Romano's arms and Elizabeta's wasn't laughing anymore. She put a tuft behind her ear and smiled at the other man. "What were you thinking anyway?" she asked then, unaware of how Romano's stomach churned at the memory.

"The bastard wants to see me…" he said and Elizabeta oh-ed.

"I bet it's nothing serious…" she said after a moment of thought and Romano tsk-ed at her response. "Seriously…You should relax more, Romano, dear... Give me, I'll do your paperwork and you go see what he wants…"

"Are you sure?" he asked, turning abruptly to her. She laughed:

"Well, it's something less for you to worry about, isn't it?" she said with a smile and took the paperwork from Romano's hands. "Go and come back to tell me what he wanted…"

"O-ok…" Romano stuttered and stood up. Elizabeta shooed him away and with his heart loudly beating in his chest, Romano stood, a moment later, before the president's door. President Ludwig Beilschmidt it said and Romano started to seriously think of turning around and run away as quickly as he could. But then again if Romano returned to Elizabeta empty-handed, he will go through much worse pain, and that gave Romano enough courage to knock on the door and step into the lion's cave.

The moment Romano entered, Ludwig was reading some documents and the blond haired man looked up from his desk, his blue eyes recognizing Romano immediately. Romano looked down, not really sure of what to say, but Ludwig talked first.

"Mr. Vargas… I wanted to see you…" straight to the point, as always, Romano scoffed and dared to look at the taller man. The bastard… Romano thought, acting all mighty.

"Yes, Mr. Beilschmidt?" Romano asked and Ludwig intertwined his fingers on the desk.

"I had some complains…" Ludwig started, "…regarding your difficulty of finishing all the jobs you are assessed with…"

"I try my best, sir!" Romano panicked. Oh, here it goes. That is what he is going to say next: you are fired! Fired!

"I believe you do and…" Romano closed his eyes shut. "…I think you are kind of… overworking…"

What? Is this the new way to say you are fired? Romano dared to glance at Ludwig but the other man seemed perfectly serious. As always, Romano added in his head.

"I don't understand…" Romano whispered then, a big question mark popping on top of his head. For a moment Romano thought Ludwig seemed embarrassed but the feeling lasted only a moment.

"You seem to be troubled by a lot of things and to take your mind off these things you work too much. That doesn't mean you do your job well, though and that is why I would like for you to relax a little… by the way, don't bring Gilbert's more coffee or he will start acting more arrogantly than ever…".

"He said what?" Elizabeta exclaimed later that day when Romano finally found the time to talk to her. The office was by then clear and they were the last ones, finishing the last paperwork of the day.

"That if that albino-head drinks coffee he's more arrogant… really, Elizabeta how can you stand his flirting all day?" Romano exclaimed and Elizabeta rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't talking about that…"

"Oh, the relaxing thing…" Romano made a face. "That's the new way to say: look, mister, work more or you are going to relax home… as in, you are fired…"

"That's not it!" Elizabeta replied, "The president actually realized your difficult situation and tried to help, that is wonderful! He is such a good man… I don't understand why you hate him so much…"

"Poor Eliza, he hypnotized you too with his speech and his gentleman's manners…" Romano remarked and with a sigh he put away the last paper. "It's over…"

"Well, I think you should take the advice, you know…" Elizabeta said and then smiled: "How about this! Tonight Roderich and I are starting tango lessons… it's not much far from your house! You should come, take your mind off things…"

Romano turned to her and enquired his eyebrow as if she had gone crazy. And she had, if that kind of advice was of any indication.

"Me? Tango lessons?" Romano sneered. "You must be kidding me…"

"Oh, come on!" Elizabeta clapped her hands together. "You don't have to dance! You'll just watch if you want! Just for tonight! Come on! And maybe… maybe you'll fall in love with the instructor and… you'll dance together and you'll realize his is the one for you…" her eyes started to have a dreamy look and Romano kicked her awake.

"No!" Romano exclaimed. "Elizabeta, don't you dare dream about this… I'm not coming…"

"Don't you want to even accompany us?" Elizabeta pouted.

"No, dammit…" Elizabeta opened her mouth to protest but Romano's mobile ringed. Saved by the bell… literally. "Yes? Feliciano!"

"Oh! Oh! Say hi from me!" Elizabeta shouted and Romano cringed as Feliciano started shouting from the other side too.

"Hi, Elizaaaa! How are you ~vee!"

"I'm fine!" Elizabeta shouted in Romano's other ear. The Italian immediately put a hand over Elizabeta's mouth.

"Ok, what is it?" Romano harshly asked, earning a disapproving look from the woman beside him.

"Are you still working?" Feliciano asked, still loudly. "I need you home, Romano! I… I need to tell you something important today… I…" then the voice from the other line got a little quieter. "Tonight we are going to have some kind of a visitor…"

"A visitor?" Romano enquired. "Spit it out, you idiot…" as Feliciano started to mumble something. Romano heard Feliciano sigh before continuing. "Your what!" Romano exclaimed and Elizabeta too put a hand over her mouth, even if it was for another reason entirely.

"My boyfriend, Romano…" Feliciano said again, "I want you to meet my boyfriend…".

"Oh, that's even better than the tango lessons!" Elizabeta exclaimed as the two of them walked in the night's breeze to Romano's house. "I guess me and Roderich are going alone, then…"

"Either way you would have…" Romano spat but Elizabeta paid no heed. "Oh, why does he do this to me… I don't want to meet him…"

"Come on…" Elizabeta said, "If Feliciano likes him, he must be a good guy…"

"Bite me…" Romano said but Elizabeta's only laughed. They stopped at a crossing and the older woman hugged him, causing Romano to blush.

"Tell me everything tomorrow, ok? Bye!"

And so Romano stood alone before his own house and felt like meeting the president all over again, even if, this time, he felt more annoyed than anxious. If he knew how close to the truth he was…

The moment he opened the door, someone attacked him. Figuratively of course. Feliciano's arms encircled his neck and Romano came face to face with his brother's smile.

"Welcome home, big brother!" Feliciano exclaimed and kissed him on the cheek. The older Vargas smiled softly and Feliciano made some steps back to let Romano in. "Romano… I would like you to meet my boyfriend… I'm sorry I hadn't talked to you about him, but… well, I'll explain…"

Romano nodded absentmindedly and looked up from Feliciano to the other man in the room. Romano thought Medusa had looked him straight in the eyes, because he couldn't move, as soon as he recognized the other man, he was petrified.

"This is Ludwig…" Feliciano continued.

"Mr. Vargas…" Ludwig said then and Romano wanted to pinch himself to death because he must be dreaming, he mused. No way in hell his _boss _of all people was in his house. No, worse, his boss was Feliciano's boyfriend…? The word made him want to vomit.

"Oh, call him Romano, vee…" Feliciano said and Ludwig imperceptibly nodded. "You are not at work…"

Romano turned so abruptly to Feliciano he thought he heard his neck crack. Oh, my God… _he_ knew? He fucking knew? So Ludwig had known all along… Romano closed your eyes with his fingers and started to count to ten. Oh, man, don't make me make a scene in front of my boss… my _boss_!

"I…" Romano closed his eyes shut. It's a dream. A really fucked up dream. A nightmare more likely! He could feel Feliciano's worried look and if Romano had opened his eyes he would have seen Ludwig worry too. "I… need to go…" Romano blurted then, "You know I'm really trying to take your advice, to relax I mean and some guys at work are going out and they asked for me to join them and if you don't mind I…" Romano stumbled on his words, "I… I need to go! Bye!" and as fast as lighting he slammed the door behind him. Romano thought he heard Feliciano's shout his name so Romano ran away and hid behind a fence. In a second his hand was on his mobile and without thinking he pressed some buttons. The phone ringed once… twice…

"Yes?"

"Elizabeta… where are you taking this tango lessons?".

By the time Romano reached the place Elizabeta had directed him to, the tango lesson had started, or, at least, Romano thought it had because he could hear the music softly playing from the street.

"I'm not dancing!" he had said on the phone.

"Ok, ok…" Elizabeta's had laughed.

Romano sighed. "What I'm getting myself into…" he thought and stared for the third time that day at a door before him. Inside he heard some people chattering and Romano again felt the need to turn around and walk away. This time though he really made to put his plan into action but when he turned around he bumped into someone's chest.

"Are you here for the lesson?" a charming voice said and Romano stepped back against the door. A man, not much older than him, stood before him, smiling, and ran a hand through his already messy brown hair. His eyes were sparkling green and he was panting as thought he had run a marathon to get there on time.

"Actually…" Romano tried to say. "I'm here just to…"

"You are right on time!" the man said and smiled again, showing to Romano his perfect white teeth. "I'm Antonio Carriedo, by the way, your teacher…" he said and put an arm around Romano, leading him into the room. As soon as they entered all chatter stopped and four pair of eyes turned to look at them.

"Romano!" Elizabeta waved at him and Roderich beside her nodded. He seemed annoyed and Romano couldn't blame him at all.

"Hallo to everyone!" Antonio said beside him, letting go of his shoulder. "I'm Antonio, your tango teacher…"

Elizabeta walked to Romano and grabbed him by the hand, leading him farther into the room. A busty girl on his right timidly waved at him and Romano waved back, blushing lightly.

"Ok, then… before we start… I want to know your names…" Antonio said smiling amiably to all of then and his eyes wandered for a moment over Romano, before continuing: "After that, you have to chose a partner with which you'll work from now on…"

"I'm Elizabeta!" Romano's friend cheerfully saluted and grabbed Roderich by the arm, "And I'll dance with him… he is my fiancé Roderich… nice to meet you!"

Roderich coughed embarrassed and he placed his glasses farther up his nose. "Hi…".

"I'm Matthew…" a blond man said and Romano wondered how he hadn't notice him till that moment as he was standing close to the pretty, busty girl. "And she is my friend…"

"Hi, I'm Katyusha… nice to meet you!" she smiled shyly.

Romano looked around and his eyes stopped to look at a girl farther on the left, smiling cheerfully at him. She had short and wavy blond hair, held back with a black ribbon, and as soon as he noticed him looking, she walked over to him.

"I'm Bella!" she said with a smile, "I suppose we are going to work together from now on!"

"I'm Romano…" the Italian said and with the corner of his eye he saw Elizabeta giving him the thumbs up. Romano knew there was no turning back now… "Nice to meet you, Bella…"

"Okay!" Antonio clapped his hands then and moved to raise the volume of the music. "Let's start with something easy today!"

And that was how everything started…


	2. Chapter 2

"You knew he was my boss and you didn't tell me?"

Feliciano cringed at Romano's livid tone of voice and he hid behind one of the kitchen's chairs in fear. Romano paced up and down the kitchen, running a hand trough his hair in annoyance.

"I was planning to!" Feliciano said in his defense.

"When?" Romano spat, suddenly stopping his pacing and Feliciano laughed nervously.

"Yesterday?"

"Oh, yes?" Romano smiled sarcastically, "And, pray tell, since when you and… my _boss_…" the word felt on Romano's tongue like acid, "…have been going out?"

"Four months…" Feliciano's almost whispered but Romano heard him, much to Feliciano's dislike. Romano finally stopped pacing and shot Feliciano's his most terrifying look:

"What did you say?" the question was rhetorical though, because before Feliciano had the courage to repeat his line Romano growled in frustration and continued: "Four months! Four _months_! Under my nose, with my boss…"

"I didn't know he was your boss until Ludwig told me there was a certain Romano Vargas working for him as a secretary and asked me if we were related!" Feliciano exclaimed, not letting go of his hiding spot, "I said yes, of course, he is my awesome, generous, kind, handsome, understanding big brother and…"

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Romano cut in.

"Kinda…" Feliciano smiled, then feeling that Romano wasn't as angry as before, dared to stand up from behind the kitchen's chair. "Romano, I knew you would make a scene out of it, that is why I was scared to tell you sooner… but, admit it, you would have reacted the same way if it was someone else and not Ludwig…"

Romano stared at Feliciano for what to the younger seemed like ages, then Romano sighed and sat down on a chair. Feliciano looked down at his brother and decided to follow his example, sitting right beside him.

"You know me too well, that's your problem…" Romano sulked and Feliciano's smiled.

"Well I didn't expect you to run away yesterday, if I have to be sincere…" Romano chuckled and Feliciano though this was a good sign and popped out the question: "Where did you go yesterday? I was so worried when you didn't show up…"

Romano turned away from his brother and decided to stare at the fridge like it was the most interesting thing in the planet. Feliciano patiently waited for some kind of respond when suddenly Romano mumbled something under his breath.

"What?" Feliciano enquired and eyebrow when Romano's face suddenly became tomato red.

"Tango lesson…" Romano said a little louder and with the corner of his eye saw Feliciano's face going from confused to amused and then to confused again.

"Tango lesson?" Feliciano repeated slowly.

"Elizabeta dragged me into it…" Romano said and Feliciano nodded in understanding. "I didn't want to but when I saw Beilschmidt…"

"Ludwig…" Feliciano cut,

"All right, _Ludwig_… well, I didn't know where to go…" Romano explained,

Feliciano then, out of the blue, started to laugh and Romano turned his face away again from his brother, his face heating up.

"I would have never thought!" Feliciano laughed, "I'm sorry! But…!" he tried to dry his eyes, "Romano, I'm sorry!" Feliciano put a hand over his mouth as if that simple gesture could make him stop laughing. Romano looked at Feliciano and suddenly realized himself how much this situation was ridiculous and started to laugh too.

"I know, the tough Romano going to a tango lesson…" Romano said and Feliciano nodded amused. They laughed together for a moment more before Feliciano cut the silence again:

"Are you going to continue?" he said, drying his right eye with his thumb, "I mean, you are going to dance with all the pretty ladies if you do…"

Romano looked at his brother, his head resting on his hand: "I don't know… I don't think Eliza will give me another choice…"

"That's true too…" Feliciano said and they both laughed again.

/a\

"Tango is nothing more than a game…" Antonio was saying as the music slowly played in the background. Three pair of feet slowly danced in time with the music, awkwardly, and more over than not they stepped onto each other as if they did it on purpose. "The man is the leader of this game…" Antonio continued, now and then correcting someone's pose, "…but although the woman seems to just follow, she does her tricks in her own, sensual, way…"

"Like in real life?" Roderich snorted and Elizabeta giggled a little. Antonio opened his mouth to say something but a cry of pain cut him. Everyone looked over to Katyusha and Matthew, the latter holding his right foot.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Katyusha exclaimed, her hands on her mouth. Matthew shyly smiled and looked down at his partner.

"It's okay, Kate…" Matthew said, "Your heels are just… a little sharp…"

Antonio walked over to them and put a hand on Katyusha's shoulder with a smile. The busty girl looked at him and blushed.

"It's okay, Katyusha!" Antonio smiled, "As I said is the man leading the game… you have to do as he says and you, Matthew…" he turned to the blond haired man, "…you have to be sure of what you are going to do… mmm…" Antonio looked around and his eyes stopped over to Romano who looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Romano, come here a moment…"

Romano shook his head no but Elizabeta pushed him violently in Antonio's arms. The Italian felt his face collide with Antonio's chest and in a moment his face became ten different shades of red.

"Okay, Romano…" Antonio said, totally oblivious to the other's discomfort. Without waiting for a response led Romano's hands to his waist and then looked at the rest of the class. "Let's say I'm the woman, here…" Elizabeta giggled and nodded. "If Romano makes a big step forward… please, Romano, do as I said…"

Romano complied with more passion than necessary, wanting with all his might to stomp over Antonio's foot for making him do something so embarrassing. Antonio's leg, though, followed Romano's movement and it went enough backwards not to be stepped over.

"However, if he makes a big step forward and I decide: 'I'm not in the mood for it…'" Romano made to do it again and this time Antonio's leg didn't follow his partner, stepped just a little bit backwards and as a result Romano felt Antonio's feet under him. "See?"

Katyusha reverently nodded and glanced back at Matthew, apologizing with her eyes. Antonio smiled and continued:

"You have to be sure of what you are doing…" he suddenly took Romano's waist and led the younger's arms around his shoulder. Antonio made an abrupt step forwards and by instinct Romano followed his lead. "Just follow me, Romano…" Antonio said.

'Why I'm here again?' Romano thought before being led right by Antonio, then back and suddenly he was spun around until he felt like falling. Romano didn't know what was happening but suddenly he was looking at Elizabeta's overexcited grin upside down and he felt Antonio's face inches from his own. Romano stared at Antonio's smiling face and a bit he thought he had forgotten how to breathe.

"Thank you, Romano…" Antonio whispered in his ear and with a secure move Romano was back onto his feet. Romano felt a little dizzy and he nodded absentmindedly, making some steps backwards to his partner Bella. Antonio was then saying something else to the class but all Romano could see was the way Elizabeta was looking at him.

"That was sexy…" the brown haired girl said and Romano scoffed at her.

"I'll hate you for this…" he whispered and Bella beside him giggled.

"You'll have all the time of the world to learn!" Antonio was saying, his green eyes sparkling. "You know someone is really good when you see them perform and think they are having sex…"

"That is so hot!" Elizabeta exclaimed making Antonio laugh. Romano glared at Elizabeta:

"You are sick, woman… really sick…"

"I agree with you, Romano…" Roderich said then but Elizabeta just shrugged them both, her mind already miles away in some fantasy of hers.

"Should we continue, then?" Bella broke the silence and Romano nodded, putting his arm back on the other woman's waist. "Your friend is really… interesting…"

"If interesting means obsessed over boys doing it, yeah, you are right…" Romano said and Bella giggled again as they started to dance back in time with the music.

The lesson continued smoothly without another, embarrassing for Romano, moment and when it ended they were all exhausted for all the toing and froing. Antonio thanked them all for coming and made his way to switch off the music.

"Why don't we all go drink something?" Elizabeta suddenly asked, gaining some nods, "So as to know each other even better!"

"I know a good bar in the vicinity…" Matthew said, taking Katyusha's hand in his. Elizabeta smiled and then turned to Antonio.

"Would you like to come with us too?" she asked, smiling brightly, but the Spaniard looked at her and with a smile shook his head.

"Thank you but I can't…" he said, "Have fun, though, okay?"

"Aw…" Elizabeta pouted as Antonio left the room.

"I'll pass, Lizzie…" Roderich said, "I have a lot of work to do tomorrow. See you home…" he continued. Elizabeta sadly nodded as Roderich, waving the others goodbye, followed their teacher's example.

"I don't mind coming…" Bella cheerfully said, making Elizabeta smile. "I don't have anything to do at home, anyway…"

"Romano?" Elizabeta asked then. Romano gazed at the spot Antonio had been standing till a moment before, strangely disappointed (for what reason, he couldn't say) and looked back at his friend.

"It's okay, my brother is with his damned boyfriend at home and…"

"You have to tell me everything you know about this relationship!" Elizabeta suddenly exclaimed and took Romano's hands. "Lead the way, Matthew!".

A minute later they were all chatting around a table, drinks in hand, in a nice looking bar not to far from Romano's house.

"Why did you decide to take tango lessons?" Bella suddenly asked, taking a sip from her glass, "I mean, not everyone decides to take tango lessons, no?… when I came for the first time the class I was so sure I was going to be all alone…" Bella continued and laughed, "My husband was surprised too when I told him there were actually quite a few who were taking this class with me…"

"You are married?" Katyusha smiled at her. "Sorry if I ask but… why isn't your husband with you?"

"Oh, he works all day and in the evening he is too tired to even move a finger…" Bella said, "I, on the other, don't do a single thing all day long and I was bored out of my mind.." the blond girl said, "That is why I decided to do something different and I always loved tango, so…"

"Why didn't you apply for a job instead?" Matthew asked, Bella looked down into her drink.

"My husband doesn't want me to work…" she admitted and then smiled. "He says I'm not good enough to do anything…"

"That's stupid…" Romano exclaimed, talking for the first time, and Bella laughed nervously.

"I'm having problems with my fiancé too…" Elizabeta said then, Romano turned to her, surprised that Elizabeta wanted to talk about Roderich. "We are going through a crisis…" she continued, suddenly sad, "A friend told us that if we did something together…" she stopped and then took a sip of her own drink. "I thought tango would have helped us…"

"I bet it will…" Bella said then, "I mean, he had agreed to join, no?" she smiled and Elizabeta nodded.

"We decided to take tango lessons for a totally different reason…" Katyusha said then, changing topic. "We are in college together and all our friends say we are boring and quite… invisible…"

"That's not true!" Elizabeta exclaimed and Matthew laughed nervously.

"They do…" Matthew continued, "And so we decided to do something completely unpredictable… we are taking tango lessons to show them the dance of their life when the time will come…"

"It's a crazy idea really…" Katyusha added, blushing a little, "But we would like to try it out anyway…"

"Good luck, then!" Elizabeta smiled and Bella nodded. Romano took a sip of his drink and it took him a lot to realize that everyone was looking at him, waiting for something. Romano gulped and raised his eyebrow.

"What?" he asked, then noticing the way Eliza rolled her eyes, he said: "Oh, she just dragged me into it…"

Romano didn't know why, was it the way he said it or the fact his wasn't an interesting story, but everyone started to laugh after his announcement. Romano just wondered what their tango teacher would have said if he was present…

"See you tomorrow at work then!" Elizabeta said when they parted ways later that evening. Romano nodded and waved her goodbye. He stood outside the bar for some minutes, watching her figure slowly walk away to take the bus and when Romano was sure Elizabeta had safely caught the bus, he made his way to his own home.

His trip to home was cut abruptly though when Romano suddenly spotted his tango teacher walk on the other side of the road. Romano stopped and stared at the older man holding some super market bags. Antonio was walking quickly when suddenly a larger man passed and knocked over the other man. One of the bags fell and the larger man didn't even apologize and continued his way. Antonio didn't say anything and just bent to pick up the bag.

Romano didn't know what got into him but felt angry at the other man for being such a jerk and shouted: "You should have insulted him!", surprising himself. Antonio heard him and in a moment his tango teacher was looking at him from the other side of the road. Romano felt his cheeks burn as Antonio waved at him, with that solar smile on his face.

Romano felt his legs approach the other man and a second later he came face to face with Antonio, who was still smiling at him.

"Romano! Didn't you go drink with your friends?" Antonio asked and started walking. Romano followed.

"We just parted ways…" Romano said.

"Oh, I hope you had fun!" Antonio responded, sincerely happy.

"You could have come…" Romano said, shocking himself at his bluntness. Antonio looked down at him and then laughed.

"Well, I have two idiotic roommates and I need to save the house…" Antonio said, "They forgot to go to the super-market and I had to search all over the place to find an open one at this time of the hour…"

"You are too good…" Romano whispered.

"Maybe…" Antonio laughed and patted Romano on the back. "If you want me so much, though, I can come the next time!"

"I-I…" Romano blushed, "What the hell, I didn't mean that…"

"You are funny, Romano!" Antonio laughed and then stopped. "Well, I live here…" Romano looked up at the building before them and it took him a moment to realize Antonio was watching him. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow for the lesson…" Antonio said.

"Oh… er.." Romano rubbed his arm, "I guess… yeah…" and Antonio smiled.

"See you then!" and with that Antonio opened the door, waved at him and with a smile closed it behind him. Romano stared and then looked around him.

"Oh, man… my house is half an hour away!".

/a\/a\

_I hope you enjoyed it so far! Reviews give me the fuel to write this story! ;)_


	3. Chapter 3

"You have to sign these…" the large woman before Romano said, "…copy these…" Romano didn't want to look down at the papers in his arms and so he decided to concentrate on her face but the more he looked at her, the more she resembled to a frog, an hideous frog, "…take this to the Vice-President… god knows he needs to work sometime in his life too…", those frogs that when he was little Romano and his friends threw at little girls (and sometimes at Feliciano too, not that he would admit it now) to hear them scream, "…and last!" the amphibian exclaimed, "…take these to the Management Assistant…" she added and put another stack of papers in Romano's already full arms. The only good thing about this, Romano thought, was that now he couldn't see her ugly face anymore...

"Is that all?" he muttered behind the pile of documents, his voice coming out more sarcastic than he first intended to. The frog-woman took him seriously though and decided to reply with a:

"Come to my office when you finish…" thus ending the conversation. Romano sighed, wanting nothing more than throw the papers on the frog's head and laugh maniacally while she slowly died under the immensurable weight. He couldn't do this, though, as tempting as it was, because he had a house to run, a college to pay, a fridge to fill and many other little things that Romano seriously didn't want to think about. So he just swallowed his anger and tried to find his way to the laser copier. He had a lot of work to do and he wanted to get over this as soon as he could…

Just then his mobile phone ringed once, alerting him that he had a message, and Romano had to unceremoniously drop everything he carried down on one of his colleagues' desks, earning an 'hey' of disapproval.

"Shut up…" Romano spat. His colleague mumbled something under his breath but didn't dare to deal with an angry Romano. When his colleague looked away, Romano stuck his tongue out to him and made to read the message:

'_I'll be with Lud all day! He is coming to get me in a min' _the message said, _'Don't wait for me for dinner! :D' _

Romano felt his eye twitch and he sighed. Then he looked up at the ceiling and run a hand through his hair. Perfect… just perfect… aah, so that is why their _dear_ President left his office so early, leaving his stupid brother to take care of everything… that was the third time in a week… Romano closed his eyes and tried to calm down. Why is Feliciano spending so much time with Ludwig anyway?

What did their father used to say? Always look at the bright side of things?

"Ok…" Romano thought, "The good thing is that I have the house all for myself…" and with that thought in mind, he found enough courage to continue his walk to the copier.

"Ok…" Romano thought later that day when he finally managed to finish most of his paperwork (and avoid Mrs. Frog-face, who wanted to generously give him more) "The good thing is… damn it! There is no good thing!".

Romano left the office earlier than usual, as Ludwig wasn't there to object and his brother was too up in his own world to care, and Romano dreamt of two hours full (before his idiotic tango lessons started) of complete relax and silence, spread on his couch, doing nothing at all. His dream shattered into little pieces though when he arrived just before his house and realized… "Where the hell are my keys?"

"Oh, damnit!" Romano exclaimed, earning strange looks from the passersby. "I don't believe my fucked up luck!", he searched his pockets again, then his coat, nothing. The keys where nowhere to be found. Romano mulled over his day and finally remembered that he had left the keys… on his bedside table! "Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!" he cursed again and sat down, his back against the wall. What was he supposed to do? Wait outside until it was time for him to attend those stupid lessons? No, that was out of the question… Phone his brother maybe? Yes, that was a good idea, Romano grinned. Ruin that potato bastard's date, obstruct his plan of dirtying Feliciano's mind and get inside the house with just a click. Perfect. Romano put the mobile phone against his ear but his Luck had other plans…

"The phone you have called is switched off, please call again later…" an annoying woman's voice told him and Romano stared at the mobile's display with his mouth wide open and his mind conjuring curses that couldn't be said out loud. The first thought was: what the hell was his brother doing that he found the need to switch off the phone! I'm going to kill that bastard! The second was: I'm locked outside my own house till I don't know when! The third was: Damn… I'm hungry…

Romano decided then to eat out and call his brother later, if not to ask him to return immediately home with the keys, to ask him what the hell he had been doing with that bastard of his boss all that time. Not that he really wanted to know, if his fears were real….

"The phone you have called is switched off, please call again later…" the annoying woman told him again an hour later. Romano shut his phone and stared at the closed door of his house. Why he had to forget the keys that day? Why, oh, why was he so… ill-fated?

Well, Romano thought at that point, I guess I'll wait at the Dancing School… I hope there is no one there so I can at least take a nap in peace…

When he arrived to the Dancing School, however, his dreams shattered once again in little pieces. As soon as he arrived before his class's door music started to play and Romano was shocked by the sight he came across, because there Antonio was, his teacher, his arms around a beautiful woman's waist and Romano couldn't take his eyes of that woman. She had Chinese-like features and her long, raven hair fell on her shoulders like silk. She and Antonio were dancing, completely unaware of Romano watching the both of them, staring with his mouth open at the way they sensually moved across the room, in perfect sync with the music.

The woman's heels clacked against the floor and her long dress floated around her like she was wearing only air. Their steps were precise and sensual while their eyes were fixated onto one another.

Romano had to admit he was intimidated by the way Antonio was looking at the girl, like she was the most beautiful creature on the planet. Antonio moved forward and in a moment she was one with Antonio's body, her leg around his waist giving Romano a clear view of her pale thigh. Antonio raised her up until their noses touched and Romano thought, his heart stopping for a moment, that they were going to kiss right then but Antonio did nothing of the sort, just swirled her around and she was back on his feet, her back pressed against Antonio's chest.

The music stopped and the girl suddenly smiled, breaking the spell, and looked back at Antonio, who was his smiling self again, all the serious and hot, Romano unconsciously added, expressions on his face gone in a second.

"Thank you so much!" the raven haired girl said making Antonio laugh.

"You are ready to go!" Antonio said then.

"I hope I won't do any mistakes when the time comes…" she confessed and moved to collect a bag on the other side of the room. Antonio shook his head:

"No, I think you are really good… call me to tell me how it went, ok?"

"Absolutely!" she said and bowed just a little, "Goodbye, Mr. Carriedo! I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you too!" he smiled at her and Romano watched her as she came closer to him. The woman looked at Romano, smiled at him and then she was out of the class. Antonio noticed Romano's presence just in that moment.

"Oh, Romano!" he greeted immediately with a smile, confusion crossing his eyes for a second. "Aren't you a little early?"

Romano decided that that was the time to close his mouth and to stop looking at Antonio like he was some kind of… god? Romano couldn't say. He entered the class and sat down on the wooden tiles.

"I forgot my house's keys…" Romano explained and looked away from Antonio, "And my brother is not at home so…"

"Ah…" Antonio said and taking Romano by surprise, sat down right beside him. "Have you tried to call him?"

"His mobile is switched off… he is with his bastard of his boyfriend…" Romano pouted and Antonio laughed.

"Are you jealous of him?" Antonio asked, totally serious and Romano gaped at him.

"What? No!" he shouted, "Why should I be jealous if he dates that wurst loving bastard?"

"I didn't mean that…" Antonio laughed a little and touched Romano's cheek with a finger. "You are cute when you are like this, though…" and Romano out of instinct shoved that hand away, making Antonio laugh again. Romano felt his face heat up and tried to cut the awkwardness by changing the topic:

"When you danced before…" and Antonio stopped laughing and looked down at Romano.

"You saw us?", Romano nodded and Antonio smiled at him again. "She is good isn't she? She is one of my ex students…"

"You are good too!" Romano looked at Antonio and in a moment he felt stupid for blurting it out. Antonio looked at Romano then at the empty class around them.

"I'm not as good as my own argentine tango teacher though…" he said, his eyes looking at something Romano couldn't see. "I come from a little village in Spain and when I was little he was the only tango teacher in town…" he suddenly laughed, "I always went to him when I got into trouble because he was the only one who believed that hitting children is a bad thing. In the end I got so in trouble that he promised my mother that if I learn tango I'll be a better boy. It worked, in a way, I loved so much tango that I stopped getting into trouble so much…"

"I can't imagine you as a troublemaker…" Romano said and Antonio laughed.

"It was fun…" he looked at Romano then, "I bet you were quite the troublemaker yourself, if I have to judge by your personality…"

"But you are so calm and nice…" Romano said and Antonio nodded.

"I guess I am…" Antonio said and looked at Romano straight in the eyes. Romano felt like drowning in those green eyes and he silently gulped, wanting with all his might to look away but unable to at the same time. "How do you like the lessons, by the way? Am I boring?" the sudden change of topic helped Romano to remember where he was and he vigorously shook his head, looking away from Antonio's face.

"No, you are not boring… I like you… the lessons I mean… its fun…" Romano said quickly, "If you weren't such a bastard and stop using me to show the rest of the class the steps, I mean…" and Antonio laughed. Romano thought he liked the way Antonio laughed…

They talked about everything and nothing and ten minutes later Bella, Matthew and Katyusha arrived. Elizabeta and Roderich were absent that day but, apart from that, the lesson went as normally as ever. As Romano danced with Bella he wished he could dance the same way as Antonio had with that girl…

"The phone you had called is switched off, please call again later…" the annoying voice told him again when he tried to call his brother as soon as the lesson finished. Romano was really tempted to throw the phone out from the window and imagined it to land on his boss's head.

"He still doesn't answer?" Antonio said behind him and Romano turned to him. Antonio and Romano were the last ones in class.

"No, damnit!" he exclaimed and closed his phone shut. "What the hell I am supposed to do? Hell, next time, I'll hide some spare keys under the carpet…"

"That is quite dangerous…" Antonio said matter of fact-ly.

"Better that stay outside all night waiting for that idiot of my brother to return…" Romano said and huffed. Antonio looked at him and said:

"You can come to my apartment if you want. At least until your brother answers the phone…"

Romano looked at him and without thinking nodded his head making Antonio smile brightly at him:

"Let's go then!" and Romano followed him. The Dancing School wasn't far from Antonio's apartment but Romano remembered it was quite distant from his and his brother's house and Romano had hoped, the week before, never to repeat the experience again. This time he didn't have a choice though.

"Here we are!" Antonio said when they were just beside Antonio's front door. Romano didn't know what was waiting for him behind that door and of course he couldn't even imagine he was going to get the surprises of his life neither that what he was going to find out would help him make, in the long run, one of the biggest steps in his life… "Don't misunderstand my roommates…" Antonio was saying as he turned the keys into the lock. "They are… quite the good guys… deep inside…"

Romano looked at Antonio but he didn't have the time to question Antonio's line that the Spaniard put an arm around Romano's shoulder and edged him on.

"Welcome back, Antonio!"

The first thing Romano noticed was the filth and the word was a big misunderstanding. The living room was a mess and Romano thought he saw a stack of old pizza boxes under the television. The second thing Romano noticed was the perverted grin on one of Antonio's roommates. He was looking at them, spread on the couch, and he was the one who had greeted Antonio home. He had wavy blond hair and a little beard on his chin and had been watching a porno film on the television. Antonio's sighed and closed the door behind them.

"Hi, Francis…" he said and Romano in a moment came face to face with Francis, who had in a matter of seconds stood up from the couch, switched off the television and approached Romano to get a better look at the younger boy.

"Oh, is his your boyfriend, Antonio? He is really cute!" Francis said and smiled brightly at Romano who in turn flushed, whether for embarrassment or anger he couldn't really tell.

"What the hell, I'm no one's… chigiii!" he shouted as Francis decided that when you meet someone from the first time you have to feel the other's butt. Antonio was beside Romano in a second and he shoved, kindly but violently, Francis hands away.

"Don't touch him, please, Francis…" Antonio said calmly and with a smile, his hands on Romano's shoulders, who was ready to punch Francis to the other side of the moon. "He is Romano, one of my students and he needs somewhere to stay until his brother returns home…"

"Please to meet you!" Francis said then, with a smile Romano didn't really like. "I'm Francis, Antonio's best friend! Please make yourself comfortable!"

"I..I…!" Romano's eyes twitched by the sudden change in attitude of Francis. He didn't trust the blonde's smile, thought, and made a step back, pressing his back against Antonio's chest.

"What's all this fuss? I was trying to…" someone suddenly exclaimed, exiting one of the rooms in the hall. Romano stared at him, the other stared right back.

"You!" they shouted at the same time, pointing at each other. Francis and Antonio watched the scene, confused until Francis asked:

"Gilbert… do you know the guy?"

Romano stared at Ludwig's brother, his Vice-President, as the albino came closer to him, his smile slowly growing on his pale face. Romano wanted to make another step back but he suddenly was aware of how close he was to Antonio's body and moved away.

"He works for me…" Gilbert explained then, "Actually, he is my little brother's secretary…

"Mr. Vargas…" Gilbert added then, "I would never have expected you here…" the older man said, suddenly using his business voice, making Francis snort.

"I would never have expected you either…" Romano stared and Gilbert sighed.

"Well, either way, we are not at work so you can call me Awesome Gilbert with the capital A… I'll call you Romano, okay? Romano?" he smiled and Romano enquired his eyebrow. "So Antonio… how come you know each other?"

Romano felt his heart speed up. He would never hear the end of this at work… Gilbert would taunt him every day.

"He is one of my students…" Antonio said then, smiling and crushing Romano's hopes.

"Oh…" Gilbert said and grinned. Romano dared him with his eyes to comment… "And why did you bring him home?" Gilbert asked instead, against Romano's expectations.

It was Romano's turn to speak: "That son of a potato of your brother is dating _my _brother!" Romano exclaimed suddenly. "I'm sure you laughed a lot behind my backs, you…", Gilbert blinked at him for a moment, then he pointed his finger at Francis.

"Told you Ludwig was in a secret relationship!" Gilbert shouted, "Why didn't he tell me? Aren't I his awesome big brother?"

"Not awesome enough, it seems…" Francis said and reached for his pocket. He took out some money and gave them to Gilbert. "Here, you won…"

"Of course I did…" Gilbert said and took the money. Romano tried with all his might not to comment at this exchange.

"Anyway, my brother didn't tell me anything either…" Romano said, realizing that both brothers had been deceived. "I just found out when Feliciano wanted me to meet his boyfriend…"

"At least your brother wanted you to meet Ludwig. Ludwig wouldn't do the same for me…" Gilbert said a little disappointed.

"I understand why…" Romano whispered as he watched Gilbert sat down on the couch and search for the remote.

"Tell me, Romano dear…" Francis said then, "Is your brother as cute as you?"

"Francis, please…" Antonio said, talking again for the first time, his hands still on Romano's shoulders. "By the way, didn't I ask you to clean this place a little?"

"Sorry, mate…" Gilbert said from his seat, "We were kind of busy…" and flashed his guilty smile at Antonio.

Romano felt Antonio's fingers tighten a little and he looked up at Antonio who then sighed and finally let go of the younger boy. Romano watched as Antonio took of his coat and made his way to, what Romano could only guess, was the kitchen. Romano wanted to follow him but Francis stopped him by putting an arm around Romano's shoulder and took him to the couch. Gilbert made some space and Romano sat beside his boss's brother.

"Would you like something to eat?" Francis asked then, his hand dangerously close on Romano's thigh. It was Gilbert who saved him that time by shoving Francis hand away.

"He's Antonio's, Francis… don't push your luck…"

"I'm no one's…!" Romano exclaimed but Gilbert shrugged him off. Antonio entered in that moment, picked up the old pizza boxes from under the television and made his way back to the kitchen again.

"I'll order some Chinese food…" Gilbert's said and reached over Romano and Francis to take the phone. "What would you like?"

Romano sighed, knowing it was going to be a long evening…

Even if first impressions said a different thing entirely, Romano realized that Francis and Gilbert weren't such bad guys after all, even if he didn't like how they had let Antonio clean the house on his own. If he ignored Gilbert's ego and avoided Francis' hands, Romano found they were quite fun to be with but when, somewhere around midnight Feliciano called Romano, he realized he couldn't wait to return home.

"I forgot the keys, Feli…" Romano told him and Feliciano assured him they were returning home as quickly as they could. Antonio offered to walk him home but Romano refused, telling him he needed to rest. Antonio watched him climb the stairs down a little worried but Romano just waved him goodbye.

"You can come whenever you need to, Romano!" Antonio told him with a smile.

Half an hour later Romano was back before his house and a black car was waiting for him. As soon as he knocked on the door, Feliciano was in his arms, crying and asking for forgiveness for making his stay outside all day.

"Idiot…" Romano said, "Don't cry for such stupid things… I was at a friend's house and I realized I didn't have the keys only later, just before you called…" he lied and Feliciano nodded. Romano greeted Ludwig, who clearly didn't believe him, but Romano was too tired to talk more and to deal with everything so he just climbed the stairs up to his room. That night he dreamed of Francis telling Antonio to jump. How high? The other would ask and Francis would order him to jump till he reached the moon where Romano was strangely waiting for him.

_Wow~ :D Thanks for all the reviews, the alerts, the favs, everything! I didn't expect this story to be liked so much! Well, you know what they say... reviews are the strings on a writer's fingers ;) (lol how more poetic could I get? XD) _


	4. Chapter 4

"Yesterday Roderich and I went to dine with his parents…" Elizabeta sulked, her eyes downcast on the paperwork on the desk. Romano listened to her, totally forgetting about the work they had to do. "I don't need to tell you that it was a total fiasco…" Elizabeta continued, laughing a little nervously, "They are so serious and I just tried to liven them up a bit but they didn't like it. When we were returning home Roderich complained about it all the time…" Elizabeta almost shouted the last part as if she didn't care they were in an office, surrounded by people. Romano sighed and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. "Romano…" she said then, turning her eyes to the younger man, "Why everything I do is not enough?" she smiled a little but Romano could see how sad Elizabeta was. "Why can't we work it out?"

"I…" Romano didn't know what to say and he tried hard to find something to make Elizabeta feel better but there was nothing. Suddenly Elizabeta shook her head and patted Romano viciously on the back, almost making him fall from the chair.

"Enough talking about _me_!" Elizabeta laughed, her smile back on her face. Romano stared at his friend and wanted to comment that acting happy wasn't going to help the situation but she didn't let him speak a word. "Tell me about you! What happened yesterday? Did I miss something good? I don't want to miss another tango lesson, ever! How's everyone? Was Antonio angry about me and Roderich not coming?" she pestered Romano with questions.

"Antonio is never angry about anything…" Romano only said in the end and Elizabeta opened her mouth to ask something else when suddenly a voice made them look up in unison.

"Hey, baby…"

Elizabeta and Romano both felt their eyes twitch, even if for different reasons entirely, and stared at Gilbert who was looking down on them with a smirk on hi face. In that moment their Vice-President had eyes only for Elizabeta but when the woman made to open her mouth to spat something nasty in Gilbert's face, the latter turned to Romano, shutting her up.

"I need to talk to you…" Gilbert said making Elizabeta blink in surprise when without another comment Gilbert walked away from where they were sitting. Romano stared at Gilbert, who clearly waited for Romano to follow him, and then at Elizabeta, who had an expression of absolute confusion on her face.

"Is it because we haven't been working?" Romano asked, not sure if to follow the albino or not. Elizabeta shrugged, her eyes fixed on Gilbert waiting. Romano in the end made up his mind and stood up to meet his boss's brother. As soon as Romano was beside Gilbert, the older man grabbed his arm and almost dragged him into his office, where no one could listen to their conversation.

"What was that for!" Romano exclaimed as soon as Gilbert closed the door behind them.

"What does she like?" Gilbert suddenly asked, disregarding Romano's question. The Vice-President had a strange smile on his face that Romano didn't like at all.

"What?" Romano blinked.

"Elizabeta! What does she like?" Gilbert asked again, impatiently, "I know you are friends so you should know! What does she like?"

It took a lot for Romano to actually understand what Gilbert was asking from him. He blinked once, twice at Gilbert who was smiling at him, expectantly.

"She doesn't like you for instance! What the hell are you asking from me?" Romano made to get to the door but Gilbert stopped him.

"Yes, okay, but what does she like?" Gilbert asked again.

"Are you nuts?" Romano asked and then, thinking that that was a stupid question, said: "Anyway, why should I tell you?"

"Oh, come on!" Gilbert said, put an arm around Romano and ruffled his hair, "You are my friend's friend! So therefore _my _friend!" he said with a smile.

"I am not…"

"And besides!" Gilbert cut him, "You are my brother's boyfriend's brother! We are practically family and that's a really strong bond!" he patted Romano on the back. Romano stared at the other perplexed.

"And that gives you the reason to use me to get into Elizabeta's heart?" Romano asked but Gilbert shook his head.

"Of course I'm not using you!" he exclaimed, "You are helping me!"

"I'm not helping you!" Romano made again for the door but Gilbert stopped him again, this time with his words.

"I'll tell you what Antonio likes!" Gilbert exclaimed and Romano turned around.

"Why should I care?" he asked and Gilbert smirked.

"Oh, don't give me that look…" he said, "I know you like our little Antonio! Yesterday I could cut the tension with a knife!"

"Don't say idiocies, damn it!" Romano exclaimed and blushed.

"Is it a deal then?" Gilbert asked, hopeful.

"She has a fiancé you know?" Romano spat then and Gilbert nodded.

"I already told her I don't mind threesomes…"

Romano gagged and opened the door to get out of that madness but Gilbert followed him.

"Just a tiny piece of information?" the other said and Romano groaned but continued walking. "Flowers? Bunnies? The sea? What? What?"

"Ask her yourself!" Romano spat and then they both realized they were back to Elizabeta, who looked up at them again, confused. She stared at Romano who was blushing and then at his ruffled hair and then she turned to look at Gilbert.

"Are you in a secret relationship?" Elizabeta asked then taking everyone totally aback. Romano could feel the earth open under his feet and he stared at Elizabeta as if she had finally lost her mind. "That would be so cute!", she said then and smiled brightly at them both. Romano's jaw reached the floor when he heard Gilbert whisper beside him: 'Oh, that's what she likes' and proceeded to put an arm around Romano, pulling him closer.

"Yes!" Gilbert shouted, "Yes, we are! Oh, Eliza you are so smart!" he said then, "Will you like me more now that you know?"

Romano felt his eye twitch and then elbowed Gilbert in the ribs, hard, making the other kneel in pain. Elizabeta giggled and Gilbert flashed a smile at her even if he was hurt. Romano then turned to his friend:

"Don't believe this idiot, please!" he exclaimed, his face red but then Gilbert quickly recovered and hugged Romano who proceeded to stomp on Gilbert's feet.

"That would be so romantic!" Elizabeta smiled, "Like in the movies! The boss and the secretary falling in love even if they are the exact opposites!"

"Eliza!" Romano exclaimed and then pouted when Elizabeta giggled again. "You are both mad!" Romano glowered and abruptly turned around away from those two. When he turned around the corner Romano noticed with relief that neither of them followed him but that they were talking and laughing where he and Elizabeta had some minutes before.

Romano didn't want to even imagine what stories was Gilbert telling Elizabeta just to impress her. He shuddered and made to occupy his mind with work.

"Stop staring at me, damnit!" Romano shouted once more at Elizabeta when they walked together later that day to Eliza's bus stop. The brunette woman giggled once again, pissing Romano off.

"If it makes you feel better I don't believe you and Beilschmidt are together…" Elizabeta said then, still smiling brightly. Romano turned his head to her and stared.

"You made me suffer for nothing?" he exclaimed, crossing his arms against his chest. Elizabeta giggled again, she was doing it a lot, Romano thought, since she talked to Gilbert.

"I just found it so cute… that idiot was ready to pretend to be with you just to be closer to me…" she laughed again and Romano huff-ed. "I never expected that from him, really…" Elizabeta continued. "Oh, the bus! See you later, Romano!" she kissed him on the cheek, surprising the boy a bit and got on the bus, still waving at him.

Romano watched the bus disappear around the corner and for a moment wondered why Elizabeta seemed so happy all of a sudden and if she still would be happy when they met again at the Dancing School… Speaking of which… Antonio… what would Antonio say if he knew what Gilbert had done? Romano blinked at his own thought and then cursed at himself for feeling guilty.

He didn't know what appealed him to do it really, but that day Romano arrived to class earlier, his heart beating when he saw Antonio alone in the room, staring outside the window.

"Oh, Romano!" the other said with a smile as soon as he noticed him. Romano from then on decided to go to class earlier, just to be able to talk to his mysterious, dense and always smiling teacher alone, and Antonio would always greet him with a smile, something that, weirdly, would always make Romano feel lighter, as if the earth didn't exist. It was something he felt unconsciously, not really understanding why.

/a\

When Romano arrived early he and Antonio would sit on the wooden tiles, sometimes in silence, sometimes talking about everything and nothing and sometime with Romano complaining about one thing or another.

"He had his hand practically in your pants and you didn't notice!" Romano said one day after he had paid a visit to Antonio's apartment, "How dense could you get?"

"I guess I just spent a lot of time with Francis…" Antonio laughed, "…I don't pay heed on these things anymore…"

"So he could use you and do to you whatever he wants to you and you wouldn't care?" Romano was astounded but Antonio laughed.

"I wouldn't say that…" he said, "But my mother always did say I tend not to notice some things even when they are practically before my eyes…"

"Your mother…" Romano started but gulped his words.

"She lives in Madrid now…" Antonio said. Romano nodded.

"What about your father?" he couldn't help but ask. Antonio looked up and smiled sadly a little.

"He died when I was twelve… he was a matador…" and Romano didn't need anything else, "I guess he was like me… didn't notice until it was too late…"

"That's black humor…" Romano commented and Antonio laughed.

"What about your parents?" the older man asked and Romano shifted a little.

"My mother died when giving birth to my younger brother…" Romano started, not really sure if he wanted to share the information or not, "That is why our father always cooed over Feliciano more, always gave him his full attention, because he didn't want my brother to feel bad… guilty… to let him know that he loved him… I on the other quite resented him at first… I mean, if he hadn't been born, I would still have my mother, and my father would have loved me more, that's what I always thought, but then I realized…" Romano stopped, blushing a little, "I realized my mother wouldn't be happy to know that and that I loved having a little brother in the end…

"When our father died, a couple of years ago, I realized even more how much my brother means to me, not that I will never tell him that, of course!" Romano blushed.

"That's cute!" Antonio smiled at him and Romano huff-ed.

"No, it's stupid!" Romano exclaimed but Antonio laughed again. "Stop laughing, bastard!"

/a\

"Elizabeta!" Antonio said making everyone stop to look. Elizabeta and Roderich didn't let go of each other and turned to look at Antonio. "Roderich…" Antonio added then, "In tango you have to look at each other straight in the eyes…" he said with a smile.

"I was…!" Elizabeta started but Antonio shook his head.

"No, you weren't…" he said, "Both of you were staring at your feet…" then he stood in front of them and with one hand softly tilted up Elizabeta's face and with the other hand moved Roderich's face to look directly at his partner. Elizabeta and Roderich looked at each other as if they were seeing each other for the first time. "That's right!" Antonio smiled, "Look at Romano and Bella, for example, or Katyusha and Matthew… they are not afraid to look at each other…"

Antonio then turned to Romano, who was staring right back at him and smiled. Romano, afraid that Antonio would use him to show the other's the steps, started to immediately dance with Bella, who was still looking at Elizabeta and Roderich, getting a surprised 'ooh' from the blond girl.

/a\

"So you are Italian?" Antonio asked while he and Romano waited for the others to arrive. Romano shrugged like it wasn't something important.

"We could go eat Italian some day…" Antonio continued, not realizing the way that simple phrase made Romano feel. "I know a good Italian restaurant… what was it called… ah, yeah…" and Antonio told Romano a famous Italian restaurant's name. "Would you like to go sometime?"

Romano stared at Antonio not really sure if his heart was beating rapidly in his chest because Antonio had actually asked him out or because Antonio had mentioned_ that_ restaurant. He guessed it was the latter…

"I don't want to go to that restaurant…" Romano said and Antonio looked puzzled at him. Romano tried to look somewhere else but he felt Antonio's gaze burn his skull and Romano sighed. "Ok, the fact is my brother works there…"

Antonio smiled then: "I would really love to meet your brother!"

"That's not it…" Romano sniffed, "My brother works there unknown to me and I'm not supposed to know…"

"I don't get it…" Antonio was more puzzled than before.

"I told my brother not to work, to concentrate on his studies and that I would be the one in charge of the money…" Romano said, "Of course, Feliciano felt guilty about it and now works part time as a waiter in that restaurant… in secret…" suddenly Romano didn't know if he was angry or amused at the fact. Antonio, however, found it hilarious because he started to laugh, making Romano brood. "I found out when I went to eat there once… Feliciano tried to hide from me all the time and so I decided to play his game…"

"Ok, then, no Italian…" Antonio said then, "Do you want to go eat Indian when we finish the lesson?"

Romano suddenly felt red and gasped with Antonio smiling at him. Romano stared at the green eyed idiot beside him and wondered if he realized what Antonio was really asking.

"Okay…" Romano said and was surprised at himself. Now Romano wondered if he knew what he had agreed to! Think Romano, think before opening that damned mouth of…

"That's cool!" Antonio said then, pulling Romano out from his thoughts, and Romano felt his heart stop beating. What the hell, is just eating out, Romano thought, regarding his feelings as totally unreasonable…

"No, what is really unreasonable…" Romano thought, "Is that _this _is happening…".

Antonio had really took him out as soon as the tango lessons finished and when everyone had parted ways Antonio had turned to look at Romano and said: "Should we go?", taking the Italian totally aback.

So there they were, sitting at a table in a famous Indian restaurant, just the two of them alone. Alone, Romano repeated, unbeknown to everyone, Elizabeta included, who had a way to feel this situations in a second without anyone telling anything. Why had he said yes anyway?

"It just Antonio, dammit…" Romano thought, "My tango teacher, one of my boss's friends… nothing special…" and with that idea in mind he managed to have a normal, as normal as he and Antonio could get, conversation, mainly with Romano complaining about something and Antonio smiling.

It would have been all good if it wasn't for the fact that suddenly Antonio's mobile ringed. Romano raised an eyebrow as Antonio answered the phone and without saying anything, a second later, shut it.

"I'm sorry Romano…" Antonio said, standing out and putting the money on the table. "But Francis needs me to return…"

"You don't have to…" Romano said, standing up too. Antonio looked at the mobile then at Romano, clearly not sure about what he was going to do. "I'm sure it's nothing important…" Romano added.

"It isn't…" Antonio confirmed Romano's suspicions but Antonio remained standing, "But… no, I have to go… see you tomorrow, Romano!" Antonio smiled and ruffled Romano's hair. To say Romano was pissed was a serious misunderstanding but the truth was Romano wasn't angry at Antonio in particular…

As soon as Antonio disappeared from Romano's sight, the younger man literally ran home and as soon as he was in, he disregarded Feliciano's welcome greeting and shut the door of his room behind him with all the strength he had in him.

_So finals are coming closer! D: So the next chapter will take a while to be posted, but I will make it up to you for the wait, da ze! XD I hope you liked today's chap! Please review and… see you soon! _


	5. Chapter 5

Romano wasn't having a good day.

If he had to give a title to that day it would be: The worse day of his fucking life. He could write a book, really, as it was difficult for him to run out of things to say on the topic.

However, if he had to tell the absolute truth, the worse day of his fucking life had in reality started from the previous evening when Romano was lying comfortably in his bed, ready to sleep, and with an intake of breath realized his brother Feliciano had company in his room, just a wall away from his own. Of course the noises Romano could hear confirmed more what they were really doing and _of course_ Romano had to bit his fingers off in an attempt to not go into the other's room and kill whoever was making Feliciano moan like _that _and _of course_ Romano couldn't risk (even if it would be worth it) to be fired or go to jail. So, he bit his lip instead of Feliciano's _friend'_s neck, covered his ears with two pillows (just in case) and tried really hard to fall asleep.

Things worsened the morning after when he attended an awkward breakfast with his boss (who he couldn't see in the same way again) just on the other side of the table in gauche silence with only Feliciano being his usual bubbly self and it would have been splendid just like that if it wasn't for Feliciano who turned suddenly around and dared to say:

"You can drive together to work! Isn't that great?"

So he had to then endure the most awkward drive in his life with his boss before the wheel. Thirty full minutes of awkwardness, discomfort, uneasiness, nervousness, and a big desire to just lean a little over where Ludwig was and… struggle him to death!

_Of course, _it wasn't possible and that increased the awkwardness just a little bit. But only by a little bit.

Romano thought that the worst of it would be over as soon as he got off the car but _of course_ he couldn't be more wrong. As soon as they spotted him enter the office with the President on tow, people started to _talk_. He didn't have the time to shut them up though that Mrs. Frog-face came over to him and stuffed his arms with paperwork and his head with orders to last until next week.

Of course things could go worse than that.

Add Gilbert going to him every now and then and, thus, delaying Romano with his paperwork, asking him all about Elizabeta, what she liked and what was her boyfriend like really? Was he awesome as Gilbert? Was he handsome and intelligent and modest and elegant as him? No? So why doesn't she give me a chance?

Add Elizabeta going to him every now and then and, thus, delaying Romano with his paperwork even more, complaining sometimes about Gilbert and sometimes about Roderich and sometimes mistaking the one with the other.

Add dear old Feliks talking with other bitches… sorry, sorry, his friends… about Romano's secret relationship with the President and all the juicy stuff going on between them.

Result? Romano had all the rights to hate his life and to be really, _really, _pissed off. Of course, pissed off being a serious misunderstanding.

So when he was finally free of eight hours of absolute madness and phrases like "Stop asking me about Elizabeta damnit!", "No, I'm not in love with the potato bastard. Can you please stop asking? You are driving me insane!", "Elizabeta, please, I have paperwork to finish…" and obviously the classic: "You need anything else, Mrs. Frog-face?", omitting the Frog-face part of course, Romano couldn't wait to go home, isolate himself into his bedroom and finally sleep until next century.

Of course Romano was that unlucky…

"See you at tango lesson then, Romano!" Elizabeta waved at him when he quickly put on his coat to leave. Dammnit… he had totally forgotten all about tango lessons. Could this day get any longer? _Of course_ it could_._

When Romano returned home, there was no one there to wait for him and Romano almost cried at the idea that he had the house all for himself and that he had to get out soon. He changed, left the unfinished paperwork scattered around on his bed and ate whatever he found in the fridge (whatever being the pasta Feliciano had cooked for him before going to college).

Then, as he had been doing for the past months, Romano started to go to class earlier that he was supposed to. Had he forgot to say that he was pissed off with Antonio too? It didn't help his day to get any better, that was for sure.

That stupid, dense, idiot, bastard Antonio dared to leave him alone at that restaurant to run back to his friends as soon as they called him. Well, Romano didn't know really why he was that pissed off, for all he knew it could have actually been something serious and Antonio had told him it was not so he wouldn't worry. Actually he was pissed off at Antonio's friends, the way they treated him, used him and that idiot was too…idiotic… to get it! He was too naïve and good… that idiot.

Romano arrived at the Dancing School half an hour earlier than he was supposed to and he entered the class with a mist of anticipation and annoyance. He spotted Antonio looking out of the window with a serious expression on his face, one that Romano had never saw the other wear and it totally took him aback.

Antonio was so deep in thought he didn't hear Romano approach him and stop just some steps behind him. Romano didn't know if he should talk or kick him awake and stood embarrassed in the middle of the room with his eyes fixed on the ground. Antonio though noticed Romano's reflection on the window and he immediately turned around to look at Romano, the serious expression on his face instantly gone.

Romano watched as Antonio's frown turned into a big, cheerful smile and the fact reminded him how much pissed off was at Antonio. As if it was nothing Antonio greeted him as merrily as ever and Romano stared at him, something inside starting to boil.

"Romano! I didn't hear you, I was so deep in thought…" Antonio said and glanced back for a moment at the window before returning his full attention back at Romano. No apologize for leaving his alone in the restaurant… no word…

"So you can think…" Romano spat, the words leaving his mouth before he could reflect. Antonio heard him but didn't say anything, the smile didn't even leave his lips, there was no reaction whatsoever and Romano's anger duplicated. Why… why did he care so much anyway? Romano wanted nothing more to turn around and run away from that idiot once and for all, to forget tango lessons, forget Elizabeta and to forget Antonio… to forget the way it was hurting Romano the fact that Antonio didn't know how to protect himself. He was a puppet in everyone's hands and he didn't do anything to change it. Romano shouldn't care. It was Antonio's problem after all and Antonio was nothing more than his tango teacher…

That trail of thought, to realize how much Romano truly cared, made Romano even angrier. His hands tightened into two fists and the volcano he had been feeling boiling inside him finally erupted.

"So you can think…" Romano exclaimed again, "And I thought you were so stupid! You are so stupid!"

"Is it because Francis called me when we were at the restaurant?" Antonio suddenly said, his eyes showing Romano all his worry.

"Yeah!" Romano exclaimed, all the anger he had been feeling all day suddenly leaving his system: "Yes, it is, dammit! Can't you see? No, you can't because you are so dense you don't see what is happening to you even if everyone else can! Your friends call and you run, your friends say they can't do something even if they perfectly can and you do it for them. If they told you to kill yourself you would have done it willingly and you can't see it! You are so stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" his voice had reached his loudest point and Antonio stood there, staring at him and Romano groaned in frustration. "Why don't you react! I insult you, harm you, everything! Everyone uses you and you let them! You do nothing! You just stay there, with that stupid smile on your face! It is driving me insane! Dammit!"

Romano continued shouting, the word "stupid" recurring in his speech, and he didn't realize how much closer he stepped to Antonio. Antonio stared down at him, listening to every word, and Romano was so upset he didn't see Antonio's smile falter.

"That's why your mother willingly gave you to that teacher of yours! To get rid of your stupidity!" Romano yelled then.

Everything happened too quickly.

A moment Romano was shouting and insulting Antonio with all his might, the next he felt Antonio brutally grab his wrist and slam Romano roughly against the wall, pinning his hand above his head. Romano's back hurt and he stared up at Antonio, his speech stopping at once. Antonio wasn't smiling and he was looking at Romano furiously, his eyes full of an emotion Romano had never seen before.

For the first time he felt fear. Real fear.

Antonio's hold on his wrist hurt a lot and he was pressed on Romano so close the younger man could feel Antonio's breath on his neck.

"Stop calling me stupid…" Antonio whispered then, sending shivers down on Romano's spine. He was angry and Romano knew he had crossed a line no one had ever done before. Antonio had reacted and Romano was scared. "Don't call me stupid EVER again… Do you want to know why?" Antonio was calmly talking but at the same time Romano thought he was practically screaming into his ear. "Remember when I told you I was a troublemaker as a kid? Troublemaker is too much weak of a word to describe what I was…" Romano felt his breathing stop, he couldn't take his eyes away from Antonio irate ones. "In the past I hurt so many people because I reacted too much! Until one day I almost killed my best friend…"

Romano's breath hitched at Antonio's words. His head hurt, his whole body hurt and Antonio at every word tightened his hold on the other's wrist.

"I don't want to experience that ever again…" Antonio added then, "I don't want to be that boy ever again…"

"You aren't…" Romano whispered. He felt tears form on the side of his eyes but somehow he knew they weren't because of the way Antonio was pressing on him. "The fact that you are scared to hurt, doesn't mean you can let everyone walk all over you!" Romano exclaimed, his voice breaking slightly. "I know… I know you won't willingly hurt anyone anymore…"

Antonio stared at Romano straight into his eyes waiting for Romano to say something else or thinking Romano's words, the younger man wasn't sure. Romano let out a cry of pain and, unexpectedly, Antonio let go of his arm as if burned. Romano immediately tended to his bruised wrist. He looked up at Antonio, their anger subsiding and turning into something else, something even more dangerous.

Antonio's eyes were fixed on Romano and the Italian felt his heart almost break from the tension and from the way Antonio was looking at him.

"Romano…" Antonio started but then stopped again. Romano didn't know who started it but a second after Antonio had whispered in that sensual way his name, Romano felt Antonio's lips on his and all logical thoughts flew out of the window.

It was a strange sensation, one Romano was sure he should be ashamed of, but all he could feel was the way Antonio's mouth started moving against his, that faint taste of sweat on the other's lips, the way Romano titled his head to let Antonio kiss him better and the hand running through his hair, pulling him closer to that sense of falling into something pleasurably unknown.

It was only when Antonio pressed him against the wall and Romano felt the hard surface softly touch his back that he realized what he was actually doing. Romano was kissing Antonio. He was kissing his tango teacher. Romano in a moment pushed Antonio firmly away and the other looked at him with half lidded eyes.

Romano panicked and he expected Antonio to look at him with disgust and hate…

"Hello! Sorry we are late!" Katyusha exclaimed just then and opened the door to the class. Romano pushed Antonio farther away and turned around to see the busty girl, followed by Bella and Matthew. Without a glance back at Antonio, Romano ran to the door and startled his three friends with his sudden presence.

"Romano! How are you?" Bella said with a smile but Romano was too stressed to smile back.

"I'm not feeling very well…" he said quickly, "I…I came to tell Mr. Carriedo…" then he stopped, "Sorry, Bella…" and with that Romano ran out from the class. The feeling was unbearable. Romano didn't have the courage to look at Antonio straight in the eyes again, he knew Antonio would be angry at him for kissing him like that! Why had he done it in the first place? Antonio must be so disgusted… In the end Romano had been the stupid one… stupid, stupid, stupid!

When he arrived home, Feliciano was there, eating some pasta as always. Romano stared at him, not really seeing him and he didn't greet back when Feliciano welcomed him home. Romano sat in front of Feliciano and his younger brother, feeling the tension, put down the fork and looked at Romano.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, titling his head to the side. "Weren't you supposed to be at tango class?" he added then, enquiring an eyebrow. Romano felt the irritation, the confusion returning back to him and he snapped at the last person he should have snapped at.

"No, it's not!" Romano heard himself say, "I heard you last night… dammit!" he didn't know why he was bringing that up, everything to forget the humiliation, but he soon felt guilty once he observed the way Feliciano reddened.

"I'm sorry!" Feliciano exclaimed, tears starting to stream down, but Romano just stood up and ran into his room. Great, Romano thought, he really had a talent to hurt everyone he loved… and with his heart full of confusion, anger at himself and at everyone, barricaded into his room.

Romano could hate his life even more, now.

For the next three days everything was a mess in Romano's head. He missed tango lessons, he just couldn't find the courage to look at Antonio, and every morning he tried to avoid Elizabeta like the plague because she tried to preach out of him why Romano had decided to not go anymore. Romano couldn't find peace at home too because Feliciano, feeling really guilty and thinking he was the cause of Romano's aggravation, apologized to him over and over and when Romano didn't say anything, Feliciano would start crying and Romano didn't know what to do to make him stop.

So to forget everything at the office Romano gladly done more paperwork than he was supposed to do and at home barricaded himself into his room to avoid his brother as better as he could. That went on for three days. The fourth day Feliciano couldn't take it anymore and called Elizabeta, the last person Romano need to see, and she came fast as lighting into the Vargas home.

"Romano! Open to me!" Elizabeta was banging on Romano's door for the past ten minutes and Romano thought that it would break sooner or later under her not so feminine punches. "Christ, Romano! Stop acting like a jerk! Feliciano is so damned worried and you shouldn't be angry at him because he has a relationship…"

Romano sighed. He had heard that words so many times, it was starting to get annoying. Romano stood up from his bed and for a moment wondered if he should respond to Elizabeta or not. He ran a hand through his hair and approached his door but didn't open to neither of them.

"Stop it, Elizabeta…" he said loud enough to be heard by both. "I…I'm… Feliciano has nothing to do with it…" he finally confessed, "…I'm sorry…"

Feliciano heard him and turned to look at Elizabeta with worry in his eyes. Elizabeta was quite shocked by that statement too and he stopped pounding on the door.

"What it is this about then?" Elizabeta asked then, softer. Feliciano and Elizabeta heard Romano sigh loudly, he was leaning against the door.

"Nothing, dammit, stop asking, evil woman…" he said without real malice in his words.

"Okay, okay, we won't…" Feliciano exclaimed and caressed the door as if in doing so he could touch Romano too and get closer to his brother. "Just come out from there… please?"

"Everyone is worried about you… I am, Antonio and the others are too… especially Antonio… he keeps asking if you are okay…" Elizabeta added, unaware of the effects it had on Romano on the other side of the door. "Come to show them you are just your overreacting self, please…"

Silence, then a soft: "I'll think about it…"

That was the most they could do. Elizabeta said she would wait for him at class and Feliciano nodded for Romano as she left the Vargas home. A moment later Romano was out from his room and as soon as Feliciano realized it he run back to Romano and hugged him close.

"It's my fault, isn't it!" Feliciano exclaimed. Romano sighed, he was doing that a lot lately it seemed, and patted Feliciano awkwardly on the head.

"No, I'm just… my overreacting idiot self…" Romano said and pushed Feliciano softly away. "I'm sorry for making you worry…" he whispered then, reddening just a little. Feliciano laughed and shook his head.

"Just tell me why you had been acting like this…" Feliciano said. "Is it because of Ludwig? Has something happened at work?"

"No…" Romano immediately declared, "I… no, it's nothing, Feliciano… I'm fine…"

"No, you aren't!" Feliciano exclaimed and turned Romano to look at him.

"I'm fine…" Romano marked the word, "I just have a lot of things in my mind…" he added then, calmer.

"Maybe you really should go to tango class…" Feliciano said, resolute, "To take your mind of things… I always tell you work too much! It must be a nervous breakdown!" Feliciano smiled at Romano, helped him (forced him) to put on his coat and led him (pushed him) out of the house.

Romano thought he could pretend he went to tango class, waste a couple of hours or so walking mindlessly in town and then return home, but he supposed Elizabeta would immediately tell on him, so, with unsure steps, he made his way to the Dancing School.

When he arrived just before the door, though, and the soft tango music reached his ears, once again he wondered if he should really just pretend to have gone and run away from that place as fast as he could. Romano didn't want to disappoint his brother, though, not after he made him suffer for nothing, and with a sigh and twist of stomach, opened the door.

The music didn't stop but Romano thought it did because everyone stopped dancing and turned around to look at him. Elizabeta seemed confused at first, then she smiled at him widely. Matthew and Katyusha welcomed him back and Bella, who had been dancing with their teacher Antonio, waved enthusiastically at him and asked if he was feeling well that day.

Antonio was looking at him or, rather, he was staring at him. Romano looked at him, nodded and, not really being able to take the way he was looking at him, dropped his gaze to the ground. Oh, boy, he shouldn't have come…

"I'm feeling well, Bella…" Romano said, answering the cheerful blonde's question. She smiled, clearly happy for him:

"We missed you, haven't we?" Bella said and then looked at Antonio. "But you missed a lot of lessons… you should be able to catch up anyway, no? Antonio?"

Antonio was staring at Romano and barely listened to what Bella was saying, but at the sound of his name, he abruptly turned to the smiling girl and smiled.

"Sure…" he said, then he looked back at Romano and made some steps forward. Romano unconsciously did the same and when they were face to face Romano suddenly felt the heat leaving his body and concentrate on his face. "So…" Antonio whispered, he coughed nervously, then looked at Roderich: "Roderich, please, can you put that song again?"

"Of course…" Roderich said and did as told. The music started again a moment later and filled the room. Romano had his eyes fixed on Antonio's feet and didn't look up even when Antonio took his hands and led them to his shoulders.

"So…" Antonio said again, "We didn't do anything difficult… so you'll catch up in no time!" Antonio was smiling brightly at him, regaining his usual self in a second. Romano was still too embarrassed to talk and just nodded. "Follow me… this is…" Antonio told Romano the name of the step, but Romano wasn't really listening, not when he was so close to the older man.

Suddenly Antonio pulled him closer and moved forwards in time with the music, Romano followed. All thoughts left his mind as they danced slowly and he just concentrated on his heartbeat, which was beating faster than normal.

Antonio moved a little back, pushing Romano a little away from him, then almost made him fall and Romano put his arms around Antonio's shoulders to regain balance. With that step, however, Romano's face came a little closer to Antonio's and he felt the other's hot breathing on his skin. The music continued, a little faster and more sensual this time and Antonio moved on accord, he said something Romano again didn't hear and took Romano's hand. In a single, quick, movement Romano's back was flat against Antonio's chest and the heartbeat he had been so concentrated on became two.

Romano felt his eyes close as Antonio breathed softly on his neck and then there was nothing more than Antonio's hands.

Antonio's hands on his hips. Antonio's hands continuing their way upwards, gently as a butterfly kiss.

The music was again slow.

Antonio's hands roamed over his body, sensually, slowly, until they rested delicately on his face. Romano could feel the fingers over his lips, then against his cheeks, and suddenly they were turning Romano to face their owner. Green eyes stared at him and Romano opened his eyes to meet them. For him there was no one else in the room but the two of them. Even the music didn't seem to matter anymore. Everything was black around them and his heartbeat increased.

Antonio was staring at him and Romano wanted to run far away, where no one made him feel that weak, and at the same time he wanted to stay where he was. Slowly Antonio bended his head a little on the right and Romano knew what to do… he had to…he wanted to…

"Damn! That is so hot!"

Romano suddenly could hear the music again and he made a huge step backwards, staring at Antonio with wide eyes. Antonio on the other seemed more annoyed as hell than confused and he turned around to the source of the noise.

"Bella!" Elizabeta cried, "You ruined it!" she was angry and pouting at Bella, who had a hand over her mouth, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry!" Bella exclaimed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Romano became red as a tomato and looked at everything else that wasn't Antonio. The other man, however, laughed and approached Bella with a smile:

"Well… remembered what I told you once?" Antonio said and Bella nodded, "Romano is a natural dancer, he learns quickly…" Antonio said then turned to the class. "Okay, let's continue with the _ocho_…" and he clapped his hands as if nothing special had happened in the meantime.

Romano looked then at Bella as she shyly approached him and then she put her delicate hands on his shoulders.

"I missed you, Romano!" Bella said and laughed. "Is so difficult to follow Antonio's steps!"

Romano laughed a little, embarrassment not entirely gone from his face, and then they started to dance. Not once Romano looked where Antonio was standing.

When the tango lesson was over Romano was the first to greet everyone goodnight and exit the class. Bella followed him immediately after and caught up with him in a second.

"Are you still a little sick?" Bella asked him as they walked side by side. Romano raised an eyebrow then oh-ed in understanding and shook his head.

"No, why?"

"Oh, well… you seemed a little in your own world…" Bella said, titling her head to the side as if thinking it through.

"Oh…" Romano blushed, "M-maybe I am…" he said, "Nothing contagious, don't worry…so, you live far?" he swiftly said, changing topic.

"I'm half an hour away by car…" she stopped and Romano stopped with her. "My car is visiting my mechanic though…" Bella laughed, "So my husband is coming to get me! He must be here any minute now…" Bella looked over the street then sighed. "Well, he should be but he has such a lousy bond with clocks. He works hard all day but when he is home he is the laziest person I know!" Bella exclaimed.

"I can understand him…"

"Yes, but you are such a good guy! I can't see you as the husband who would complain all day long about a thing or another. I understand he is tired but he can't tell me I have being doing nothing all day long!" Bella continued, "He is so arrogant sometimes, he pisses me off with his attitude and he has that stupid habit of his…" Bella stopped her rambling and looked at Romano smiling, "But then I realize that I love everything about him… that's maybe why we are still married…" she laughed.

"I don't understand…" Romano said, "How can you hate some things and love them at the same time?"

Bella looked at him and then smiled softly: "Have you ever fell in love, Romano?"

Romano was taken aback by that question and there was a long moment of silence before he said convinced: "No…" and then a more unsure "…no…".

Bella smiled and then a horn startled them both. Romano looked up at a red car waiting in the middle of the street but he couldn't see the driver. Bella turned to him:

"See you, Romano! Thanks for the company!" and she hopped into the red car, which took off almost immediately. Romano stood there and stared at the car until he couldn't see it anymore. Something had changed in the air, he didn't know what exactly, but something had changed with Bella's talk. In that moment he didn't want to return home and barricade in his room again, he wanted…

Romano started to walk before his mind could give the order to his feet and he understood where they were heading to only when he they stopped before a familiar door. Romano's stared at the front door to Antonio's building and with trembling hands he entered the structure. It seemed to him that his body was moving on its own accord as his feet found their way to Antonio and his friends' apartment in a second but when he was finally there, his mind started to work again.

"What the hell am I doing here…" Romano thought and put his hands into his pockets. He blushed then frowned when he realized he had. Once again Romano wanted to return home and forget all about tango, Bella and Antonio again. So he turned around to leave but as if on cue the door opened.

Romano's gaze met Francis' confused one. Francis was holding a plastic bag in one hand and with the other was holding a broom. He was going to throw the garbage out when he almost bumped into Romano, who was staring at him as if he was an alien of some kind. Francis got off his stupor quicker than Romano, though, and smiled widely at him: "Romano!" he exclaimed.

Neither Romano nor Francis had the time to say anything else as suddenly someone grabbed Francis from the shoulder and violently pushed him back into the apartment. In a second in Francis' place stood Antonio, who was looking expectantly, hopefully at Romano, his green eyes sparkling with something once again Romano couldn't comprehend.

Now that Antonio was there, a step away from him, Romano didn't know what to do and he was ready to run away but the whisper of his name stopped him in his tracks:

"Romano…"

Romano looked up at Antonio, who made a step forwards. Romano didn't move.

"I thought you would hate me…" Romano thought he had been the one to say the words and he was shocked to realize that Antonio had said it. "I thought… I…"

"It's difficult to hate you…" Romano said, startled by with own voice.

"I snapped at you…" Antonio said.

"I snap at you all the time…" Romano answered. A step closer. Antonio smiled that smile that Romano hated and loved at the same time. "You are such a bastard, you know? I can't understand you at all!" Romano exclaimed, "How can you be so calm when I…", Romano was abruptly cut off as Antonio grabbed his still bruised wrist and stared at it sadly. "What are you…"

"I didn't mean to…" Antonio said and caressed Romano's wrist and Romano felt his stomach leave his body. Slowly Antonio took Romano's wrist near his lips and kissed him. Romano stared at Antonio, his breath short, and he gulped as felt his body shiver. Antonio looked up at him: "I…"

This time Romano was the one to shut the other up. He grabbed Antonio's face and pulled him closer. He kissed him and Antonio didn't move away.

Antonio's lips then started moving, kissing him back as avidly, his arms encircling Romano's waist and Romano gasped at the sensation, his mouth opening just a little…

"Way to go, Antonio!"

Romano was sick and tired of being always interrupted. Antonio and Romano turned in unison to Francis and Gilbert, who were watching the scene with big perverted smile on their faces. Antonio laughed and said before Romano had a chance to go and kick their asses:

"Didn't I tell you to clean?" he asked. Romano turned abruptly to Antonio. He had listened to _him_? Francis and Gilbert opened their mouths to say something but Romano untangled himself from Antonio and slammed the door on their faces.

"That wasn't cute, Romano…" Antonio said, slightly worried, as Francis started to whine from the other side of the door.

"I don't do cute things, dammit…" Romano exclaimed, pissed off, and pulled Antonio for another passionate kiss. Of course.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mr. Vargas, be a good boy and bring me some coffee, will ya?"

Romano couldn't see Gilbert's face from his telephone display, even if he would love to, so he wouldn't need any words to show the other man how much of a good boy he really was (with his middle finger) but Romano could _feel _the other smirk widely at him with that stupid knowing glint in his eyes.

Romano could picture him so perfectly he started to feel really mad. To tell the truth Romano knew exactly how Gilbert looked because Gilbert had never looked at Romano in any other way since the accident (could he call kissing an accident, by the way?) with Antonio before their apartment a week before.

"Fuck. You." Romano exclaimed, making his colleagues wonder who the center of Romano's anger was this time. That didn't stop Gilbert from smirking even more and as Romano heard the 'tch, tch' from the other end of the line, Romano knew the more he would insult Gilbert, the more the other would mock him. The bastard…

"Do you know that this conversation _might _be heard by other people other than you and me?" Gilbert said and Romano's eyes glanced at the telephone with suspicion. "I might start _talking_, if you know what I mean…"

Romano did know what Gilbert's meant. Are all Germans bastards? Romano had met two of them and one was even worse than the other…

"Does your brother know you aren't working, _Vice-_president?" Romano couldn't stop grinning, "And that you are not helping me finish my own paperwork? I _might_ go and tell him…"

There was silence on the other end and then another 'tch', less victorious this time. Romano had won that round and he wanted so much to dance the victory dance in front of Gilbert's annoyed face.

"I wonder how your boyfriend stands you…" Gilbert said then, regaining his arrogant tone of voice. Romano felt his face heat up. "Or you don't talk _much _every time you are together? Doing other more _interesting _things?"

Romano wanted to die just then: Gilbert had said it so loudly that most of his co-workers turned around to look at Romano, curious.

"Motherfucker…" Romano whispered in the phone, "I'm going to kill you slowly and painfully and…"

"Oh, you know you love me!" the voice on the other end said, laughing, "Now, really, why don't you tell me what exactly is going on between you and my frie—"

Romano slammed the phone shut. Romano: 1. Gilbert: 2. Romano shot a murderous look at his colleagues who scattered back to their paperwork in a second. Romano sighed, trying to lessen the blush on his face and, for good measure, he hid behind his own pile of paperwork.

Romano and Gilbert played that game at least once a day and he knew that tomorrow Gilbert would call him again, to start enquiring once more. Damn, wasn't that bastard nosy? Romano knew what he wanted to hear and that was _what_ Romano and Antonio were exactly. Romano wondered why Gilbert hadn't asked Antonio or maybe he had and Antonio had just smiled at him, not getting what Gilbert was asking. Of course that seemed logical enough...

Nevertheless, what Romano could say to Gilbert if he, himself, didn't know the answer to what he has with Antonio was exactly? Admitting they had something, that's it… Romano and Antonio didn't date, they had _just_ kissed. They never called each other, just met at tango lessons. They weren't a couple…

Romano reddened as soon as he thought the word. No, they definitely weren't a couple… dammit! Idiot Gilbert, making him think of such things! Romano dived into his paperwork and didn't stop until all thoughts of Antonio disappeared, and that wasn't a really easy thing to do…

That day Romano went to tango class as always. He was always quite amazed to see that Elizabeta, who seemed to have a sixth sense regarding the romantic lives of others (and no, for your information, he didn't say his was romantic), didn't even realized the way Antonio and Romano looked at each other throughout class.

Since that day, it went always the same.

Romano would dance with Bella as always while Antonio would be there, watching them all, teaching them new steps or correcting them with the old ones. Sometimes Antonio would approach Romano or Bella to correct their stance and Romano would feel Antonio's hands on him in a totally different way from the first times. The touch was softer and lingered on Romano's body a little more than it should. It made Romano shiver and when Antonio would dance with Bella, Romano would notice his every movement as if it he had seen them for the first time. Antonio would then look at Romano and Romano would see that "light" in Antonio's eyes that would make his heartbeat increase.

What was strange was that Romano knew he would never feel fed up with this. Every time it was a new feeling and Romano would always be surprised at this because he had never felt something like that ever before. It was… it was…

"Okay, everyone!" Antonio exclaimed, clapping his hands once, when the lesson was ready to end. Everyone stopped dancing and turned around to look at their teacher. "Before I bid you goodnight, I have an announcement to make!"

Six pair of eyes focused their full attention to Antonio, puzzled, but before any of them could ask anything, Antonio spoke again.

"You are one of my best students!" Antonio said with a bright smile, "All of you learn really fast and I thought it would a good idea for you to see what professional tango is really like…"

"What do you mean, Antonio?" Roderich asked for everyone. Antonio stood silent for a moment, the smile not leaving his lips and then talked again:

"I would like to enter you in a tango competition!" Antonio said. "We have five months to practice, so you don't need to worry that you aren't good enough for this…"

As soon as Antonio stopped talking, everyone started chattering. Bella and Elizabeta were the loudest, clearly enthusiastic with Antonio's proposal. Matthew talked with Katyusha, who wasn't really convinced, and Roderich, who didn't seem to hate the idea that much. On the other Romano was freaking out.

A competition? A contest? Tango? _Him_?

"A-are you sure about that?" Romano blurted out and his cheeks became wild red when everyone turned around to look at him.

"What are you saying, Romano!" Elizabeta exclaimed, "Is going to be awesome!"

Romano enquired his eyebrow and looked at Elizabeta. Since when did she use that word? Romano remembered that Elizabeta strangely loathed that word but the girl didn't seem to notice his surprise and she turned to look at Roderich:

"Don't you think so, dear?"

"It would really be an unusual experience…"

"I-I am not so sure…" Katyusha said then, biting her lip. "What if I mess up?" she then grabbed her breasts, "They don't help me much moving!"

"Oh, don't worry…" Antonio said, "If you are up to it, I'll find the perfect dance for you and Matthew, without _them _interfering…"

Romano gaped. They were going to dance against professionals and they were talking about… boobs?

"Every pair is going to compete alone?" Matthew asked then.

"Yeah…" Antonio said, "As I said, I'm thinking a dance for each pair… if you're up with this, we can start next week!"

Everyone started to talk with each other again, only Romano stared at Antonio as if he had sprouted a second head. Antonio was just smiling and in the confusion he made his way to switch off the music and to grab his things from the floor. Romano approached him and put a hand on Antonio's shoulder to get his attention:

"I-I…" Romano gulped, "I don't think I can't do it!"

"What are you talking about?" Antonio said, confused, "You are one of the bests!"

Romano's face heated up but he shook his head. Whatever he was going to say, though, was cut by Matthew's voice:

"We're in!" he said and Katyusha nodded with a bright smile at them. Romano pouted, he hated being interrupted. Elizabeta and Roderich talked a little more and then they gave their consent too. Bella on the other grabbed Romano by the shoulders and smiled at Antonio.

"We can't wait! Right, Romano?" and then she made her way back to Elizabeta.

"Okay, then!" Antonio smiled, "See you tomorrow!" then he turned to Romano and lowered his voice: "Will you make me the honor to accompany you home?" '

"W-what?" Romano stuttered, totally taken aback. Antonio just smiled at him and waved everyone goodbye. When everyone was gone and they were the last in class Antonio turned to Romano and waited for him to be ready. Romano internally sighed and walked out of class, with Antonio trailing happily behind.

"I always wanted to see where you lived!" Antonio said suddenly. Romano enquired his eyebrow back at Antonio. "Well, I need to know where to pick you up, no?" Antonio explained then and Romano blushed.

"What are talking about, bastard?" Romano fidgeted. Antonio laughed.

"You are so cute when you blush, do you know?"

"Shut up!" Romano exclaimed. Antonio hugged him from behind and rubbed his cheek against Romano's one.

"Romano!" Antonio exclaimed and Romano wanted to turn around and kick the other in the ass but stopped as soon as he noticed someone watching them from afar and, in a moment, Romano shoved Antonio away. "What's wrong?" Antonio put his chin on Romano's shoulder, totally unfazed by Romano's antics. Romano didn't have the time to say anything as another voice filled the empty street.

"Romanooo!" and a moment later, before Antonio and Romano stood none other than Romano's little brother, who was smiling brightly at them both. Romano knew than Feliciano had witnessed all of Antonio's clinginess and that smile showed how much he wanted to make fun of him. No one knew how much of a bastard Feliciano was, when he wanted…

"Hi, Feli…" Romano sighed and felt Antonio move from behind him to stand quietly by his side. Romano blushed and then coughed: "Antonio this is my younger brother, Feliciano, Feli, this is Antonio… my… ehm… tango teacher…"

Feliciano smiled even wider at this and turned to Antonio, grabbing his hand. Antonio was smiling at Feliciano and Romano suddenly felt very jealously grab his heart and squeeze it.

"Pleased to meet you, Feli!" Antonio exclaimed and, unexpectedly, hugged Feliciano close. "Romano didn't tell me how much you look alike!"

"Ve~" Feliciano blurted as soon as Antonio let him go. "Sometimes we are mistaken for twins!" Feliciano cheerfully exclaimed. Romano pouted, unnoticed by them both. "You were heading home?" Feliciano immediately added and before Romano could answer, continued: "Oh, Antonio! I'll show you around the house and cook something for the three of us! I'm so happy!"

Antonio giggled as they both started to walk to the Varga's house. Romano followed behind as Antonio and Feliciano talked cheerfully together. For a moment Romano thought that Antonio would have preferred to be with someone like Feliciano… but the thought made him feel sick and he stopped it before it could get worse ideas. A moment later they were in the Varga's living room and Feliciano had immediately started to cook for them, telling them that they must be hungry after all the swirling around.

Romano sat heavily on the couch and listened to Feliciano cooking in the kitchen. Antonio soon followed him and sat down beside Romano, who immediately turned to look away.

"Your brother is so cute!" Antonio said then, "And so likeable too…" Romano didn't talk and just stared at the cushions as if they were the most interesting thing on the world. "He has a cute smile, don't you think so Romano?"

Romano bit the inside of his lip and stood abruptly up. Antonio followed him with his gaze.

"I… I will go help my brother…" Romano exclaimed, "Make yourself at home!" he almost shouted and entered the kitchen. Antonio titled his head, not really understanding what he did wrong. Some time later the three of them were sitting around a table, eating Feliciano's delicious pasta. Feliciano was asking Antonio all about tango and not once, not when Romano was looking at him like he wanted to murder him, he dared to ask what was between him and Romano. Then Feliciano started talking about his day and Antonio listened carefully to every word as if he and Feliciano had known each other since forever. They talked about Ludwig and Feliciano was surprised to hear that Antonio and Ludwig's older brother were friends. Throughout dinner Romano remained in silence.

"The world is so small!" Feliciano exclaimed with a smile. Romano groaned and looked at Antonio who was nodding and smiling at Feliciano like the idiot he was.

"Oh, look at the time!" Romano suddenly said, harshly, and stood up, the plate before him ready to fall down on the floor from the abrupt movement. "Antonio? Didn't you tell me your friends were waiting for you?"

"Romano… I…" Antonio said but it was Feliciano who cut him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! When I start to talk I can't stop!" Feliciano said and hugged Antonio: "I'm glad to have met you!"

"Feliciano… I…" Antonio said then but Romano grabbed his hand and led him to the door. Romano's head was so filled with resentment that he didn't realize he had started to walk away from his own house with Antonio walking behind him, calling his name over and over again.

"Stop it, idiot!" Romano shouted and stopped himself, turning around to look at Antonio. Romano didn't notice he was standing in the middle of the road and in his anger continued to shout: "Why don't you return to my brother! I can't stand another 'he is so cute' and all that jazz anymore! If you like him so much why don't you leave me alone?"

Antonio blinked at him, then looked at Romano confused but suddenly his eyes widened with understanding and his lips formed a surprised 'o'. Romano was even angrier at Antonio's flash of realization and crossed his arms against his chest.

A second.

A loud noise made Romano suddenly turn to his right and the lights of a car approaching him for a moment blinded him. The horn. The sounds of the brakes. Burned tires. Light. Romano stood paralyzed staring at the car's lights and didn't feel the hand grabbing his arm and pulling him away from danger.

All he knew was that a second later Romano was flushed against what he immediately recognized as Antonio's chest. Romano couldn't understand how they had both fell on the cold asphalt. Still shocked about what happened he looked down at Antonio's face, who had his eyes wide open, either for fear or anger, Romano in his state of mind couldn't tell.

Romano could feel against the palm of his hand how fast Antonio's heart was beating. He tried not to think about what would have happened and he looked up behind him to see that the car, fearing the worse, had run away without even stop to see if they were okay.

"Some cowards…" Romano wanted to say but the voice stopped inside his throat. There was a moment of silence, in which Romano didn't dare to look at Antonio, who was still holding him close.

"Don't do that ever again…" Antonio suddenly said, his voice raspy and Romano noticed the anger in his tone. "Don't scare me like that ever again…"

Romano gulped and then decided to dare look at Antonio under him. He knew he shouldn't but the words left Romano's mouth before he could stop them.

"Why would you care if I died, idiot?" Romano said. "I'm not worth it…"

Antonio immediately stood up, his arms still around Romano's waist and hugged him even closer. Romano found himself sitting on Antonio's lap and in a moment he felt his cheek flushed against Antonio's face. He could feel Antonio's breath against his skin.

"You should like yourself more…" Antonio said in the crook of Romano's neck, making Romano's gasp. "I'm sorry if I made you jealous… I may think that Feliciano's cute but to you are handsome… what you are to me…"

Romano felt his face heat up, he gulped again and suddenly he felt guilty for overacting like this. He started hating himself, as always. Then something warm fell on his cheek and Romano blinked and moved a little to look better at Antonio's face. Over the older man's left eye there was a cut…

"Antonio… you are bleeding…"

Antonio touched over his left eye and stared fascinated at the blood on his fingers.

"At least it isn't you…"

In a moment Romano pulled Antonio closer to his body.

/a\

Romano loved the weekends. One because he didn't need to work and two because he could stay all day in bed and no one would dare bother him. Or that was what Romano had thought until then. The doorbell rang once, twice and Romano woke up from his beautiful dream with a start. He groaned then pulled the covers over his head. The doorbell rang again.

Unfortunately.

"Feliiiii!" Romano shouted. "Get the goddamned door!"

No answer. The doorbell rang again.

"Feli?" Romano blinked sleep away and slowly stood up from the bed. He called his brother again but no one answered. "Great… just great…" Romano thought, immediately realizing that Feliciano had gone to his boyfriend. Romano yawed and he was cut by the doorbell ringing again. Romano slammed the window of his room open and looked down:

"Who is the motherfucker who dares…?" he shouted and then bit his tongue as he noticed Antonio waving at him.

"Romanoo!" his tango teacher shouted and Romano felt suddenly self conscious as he was naked. He blushed a little but recomposed himself immediately.

"Antonio! Do you know what time it is?"

"It's twelve o'clock…" Antonio answered with a smile, "And I'm taking you out!"

"You… what?", was Romano still dreaming or Antonio had really said 'take him out', as in 'go out', as in, Romano blushed, he did that a lot lately it seemed, 'date'?

"Well…" Antonio said unfazed by Romano's change of color, "To make it up to you for everything…"

Now that took Romano by surprise: "To make it up…?"

"Yeah…" Antonio laughed and shrugged. "For our first date that was totally a fiasco, for snapping at you, for not giving you enough attention or…"

Romano didn't know what to say. Romano didn't know if Antonio was really an idiot (Romano had to apologize more than Antonio did) or he had just found the most selfless prince charming (no, he didn't just said that) in the world… Romano then realized that they were still talking out loud for anyone to hear and that Romano was naked, his hair a mess from the sleep.

"Okay, I got it…" Romano said and slammed the window shut. It took him less than five minutes to prepare himself and ran to open the door. Antonio stood there and as soon as he saw Romano his face lighted up with a smile. Romano's gaze wandered on that smile for a moment before moving up into green eyes, and then his saw the little scar on Antonio's left eye. It had only been a scratch but it had been deep enough to leave a little scar upon Antonio's beautiful face. It was so small no one noticed it, unless Antonio was pointing at it, but for Romano it was too big.

"Where are we going?" Romano asked and tore his gaze away from that scar as Antonio and Romano started walking.

"To the park.." Antonio said casually. Romano raised an eyebrow.

The park was full of people but Romano didn't really see them, his eyes focused on Antonio's back that walked ahead of him. The sun shined bright above them and suddenly Antonio said that it would be a nice idea to hire two bikes. Romano hadn't had the time to decline or accept it that Antonio had ran away and had returned two minutes later with two red bikes.

"Are they safe?" Romano asked, playing with the bell and looking at Antonio with suspicious.

"Of course, Romano!" Antonio said and to make his point he got on his own and started riding away. Romano immediately started riding his own bike and a moment later Romano had preceded Antonio by a lot. Time passed in this manner and even if Romano didn't want to admit it, he was having a great time.

"Eat my powder, Antonio!" he suddenly exclaimed when they arrived to a part of the park that was strangely but conveniently empty. Romano sped up, Antonio in tow, but when Romano tried to see if Antonio was following him he lost balance and fell on the soft grass. Of course Antonio was over him in a minute.

"Is everything okay?" he exclaimed, panicked and Antonio was taken aback as he came a across an unusually laughing his head off Romano. Antonio got off his bike and went to sit near Romano and smiled. "You sure are beautiful when you laugh…"

Romano slammed his mouth with his hands at this, still lying on the ground, but Antonio could still see the mirth in Romano's eyes. "Shuttup! Not 'autiful! Dammit!" Romano tried to say behind his hands and Antonio laughed. Antonio suddenly, gently moved Romano's hands away. Romano was smiling but Antonio could see he was trying hard to repress it and the Spaniard started to laugh.

"You should smile more…" Antonio said and laid down on the grass besides Romano.

"And you should be less of a bastard…" Romano said but he was still smiling.

"Ow, you are so cute~" Antonio smirked and touched playfully Romano's nose. Romano pouted and shoved Antonio's hand away.

"Don't touch my nose or I'll bite you!" Romano exclaimed, "I'm not a baby!"

"But you are my baby…" Antonio said. Romano raised an eyebrow and looked at Antonio.

"I never said I was anyone's baby…"

"Oh, but you did!" Antonio said and turned to look up at the sky. "You did it that day in the park! When you kissed me so eagerly as we laid on the grass and looked at the clouds… remember that day in the park?"

"No, I don't remember we ever went to a park…" Romano responded seriously. Antonio gasped and turned around to Romano.

"Romano~" Antonio whined and Romano had to bit his lip to not let the giggle out (no, not giggle, sneer).

"Seriously, Antonio, you watch too many romantic movies…" Romano whispered and run a thumb over Antonio's little scar, "I never heard something so corny before…" but before Antonio could respond, Romano leaned in and kissed Antonio fervently on the lips. Whatever Antonio had wanted to say flew in a second out of the window, it didn't matter, not when Romano kissed you _that way _anyway.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, guys! :D How is every one of you? I am supposed to "study" right now but how can I study when I know this story is missing me so much? ;P I've just returned from Ludwig's and Gilbert's place. XD Berlin is just so… well, awesome! Everything is so fantastic and so different from where I live. I wished I had someone there to take us around, as I don't speak a word of German (okay, maybe one word or two but I was seriously scared someone could insult me and I would just say "thank you" lol). We managed just fine, anyway. I wish I could have stayed longer, though. So many things to see, so little time. One of the things that really surprised me was how MANY Italian restaurants and bars existed. I asked my friend if they are trying to tell us GerIta is really canon. Yeah, can't get Hetalia out of my head even when super-hungry and tired. In the end we ate in a Spanish restaurant and I laughed when I saw they had tomato soup. Obsessed much? Don't think so. XD Now I'm back again in the real world. I want vacations, dammit! . Anyway, how did **_**your**_** summer go? Tell me everything. I'm so curious! :) Wow. Long Author's note is long. Let's go on with the next chapter! Sorry for any grammatical/lexical errors. I hope you'll enjoy it! I felt a little weird writing about Christmas in August. XD **

It wasn't because he was a spoilsport, he just didn't like so much to be the centre of attention. Romano wasn't like Feliciano, who could laugh and say stupid things without a care in the world while the whole world was staring at him. On the contrary, Romano always felt awkward whether more than just two pairs of eyes watched him. He would start to sweat, gulp and, more often than not, he would flee the room with a cry of "Chigii!". It is a manly shout, shut up, stop laughing, dammit! Anyway, the fact remained: he would royally suck.

"Oh, come on, Romano! It will be fun!"

Fun for everyone else who wasn't him. Romano could already hear the laughing, the comments and he could see Antonio hiding in shame in a dark corner somewhere, as everyone pointed their index finger at Romano, drying with the other hand the tears from their eyes…

"Aren't you exaggerating?", Elizabeta said, serious, but at the same time Romano could see she wanted to laugh at him. She wasn't helping.

"Make me do it and you'll see…" Romano said. Elizabeta's eyes glimmered in challenge and Romano knew that whatever he had wanted to say next was going to be utterly useless. Elizabeta had decided: Romano will participate in that tango competition and that was it.

"I see you changed idea quickly…" Elizabeta said with a smile and Romano shot her a murdering look.

"Of course, if you look at me in that _convincing_ way…".

So Romano dropped his head and decided that, well, it wasn't going to be that bad. Everyone else was a beginner too, he wasn't the only one who didn't know the steps right. Moreover, Romano would dance with the beautiful Bella, how can you say no to such a lady? And of course he didn't want to go through the same conversation again with Antonio, it was too bothersome. Elizabeta seemed to read his mind and with a winning grin she opened the door to their tango class, where Antonio was already waiting for them.

Romano's eyes found Antonio's green ones and felt his lips quirk up in a little smile, that, fortunately, went unnoticed from the rest of the class. Antonio, always the extrovert, smiled widely at him and for a moment Romano thought the older man was going to step up and hug him right in front of everybody but Antonio did nothing of the sort. His tango teacher just stared at Romano and tilted his head to the side to greet him, a gesture that always made Romano blush, much to Antonio's delight.

It was Bella that shook him awake from his trance, as she took Romano hand and led him where Matthew and Katyusha were standing, talking about something neither Romano nor Bella understood. Romano glanced at Antonio once more and saw Antonio ran a hand through his hair before taking something out of his bag.

"How do you feel?" Bella asked suddenly and Romano turned his head to look at the blond girl. He didn't need to ask what she was talking about: the tango competition.

"Nervous…" Romano sincerely said and Bella nodded in understanding.

"Me too…" she sighed, "But at the same time I can't wait!"

In that moment music filled the room and everyone turned to look at Antonio, who rubbed his hands, clearly thinking of what he was going to say next. Romano felt his heartbeat quicken just by looking at him and inside Romano slapped himself hard because he was acting too much like a stupid schoolgirl, dammit, and that was no good.

"Okay…" Antonio said and thus the tango lesson began. When Antonio started to talk, everyone in the room silently agreed that Antonio was a genius. Strange thing to say, Romano thought, but he was and he proved it when he opened his mouth to speak. In a matter of three single days Antonio had came up with a choreography for each pair, completed with details. Antonio explained and described to them the costumes, the music, all the things even a professional would take weeks to come up with. Antonio talked and analyzed the steps and if they closed their eyes, they all could picture the dance perfectly in their heads. Antonio had thought of everything, even what difficulties they may encounter. Antonio was dense on some things but when it came to tango he really knew what he was talking about.

"I think it should be better if I see each pair on its own…" Antonio said in the end. "So you can concentrate better on your own steps and music…".

It took them half an hour to agree on the days each pair was going to meet with Antonio. In the end they realized that, until the tango competition was over, that day was going to be their last lesson together.

"I will miss you so much, guys!" Elizabeta exclaimed then, turning around to rest of the class with real sadness in her eyes.

"Yeah, I really liked working all together!" Katyusha added shyly.

"It's only temporary…" Matthew said with an optimistic smile, "Besides it's not like we are not going to see each other again!"

"Matthew's right!" Bella said, "Let's give our best for the competition!".

The lesson continued smoothly then and Romano for the time being forgot all about the tango competition, how nervous he felt, and when his and Antonio's eyes met from time to time, he forgot he was even breathing.

It was a strange feeling dancing alone with Bella, with Antonio the only spectator. Now that they were alone, Bella was strangely more silent than usual and unexpectedly Romano felt a little surer of himself. Antonio didn't seem to notice their change in attitude, though, opting to explain the steps again and, some minutes later, he immediately started to show the whole choreography to them, sometimes taking Romano's hand and showing Bella what moves she had to do and sometimes taking Bella's hand to show Romano.

"It's too difficult!" Bella exclaimed, the first time she talked since the first lesson with just the two of them together began.

"You can't expect to learn everything in just a day!" Romano exclaimed, staring a little too much at Antonio's hands around Bella's waist.

"Of course not!" Bella stuck her tongue out but then she felt silent again as Antonio let her go. "The truth is… it's too… sensual…"

Antonio laughed and then looked at Romano: "I'm sure everyone will not mind…". Romano got what Antonio implied and his face turned red with embarrassment. Bella blinked at Romano's change of color.

"Come on, Bella… let's practice…" Romano almost shouted, "Pervert!" he whispered, shooting a look at an amused Antonio.

"Who's a pervert?" Bella asked but Romano didn't answer. Antonio didn't comment and just went to correct their pose. They had to dance the same steps two thousand times before Antonio could be satisfied enough to let them go. And it was only the beginning.

Days passed with Romano and Bella trying their best to learn the difficult steps of their choreography and completely unaware that their friends too had problems of their own. However, step by step both Romano and Bella could feel they were improving and whenever that happened Antonio would reward them with his most beautiful smile accompanied by his most kind words that helped them try even better in their next lesson. In every lesson, as Romano danced with Bella, he could feel Antonio's eyes on him, every time Antonio took his hand to dance with him to show Bella what she should have done, Romano could feel shivers run down his spine and, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he wished Bella wasn't there for once and to never let Antonio go. Romano wondered if he was going crazy, if Antonio was feeling the same things as he did, because, in the end, they weren't a couple, they never stated they were, and just kissed and went out from time to time. Whenever Romano thought about this and the more he tried to understand, he always ended to wonder what Antonio saw in him. Romano couldn't answer. There was nothing special in Romano.

In that manner Christmas arrived and tango lessons had to stop for the time being. Romano hated and loved Christmas with a passion. Loved because for a couple of months at least he didn't have to work and look at Mrs. Frog-face's ugly face for a while. Hated because it reminded him that he and Feliciano didn't have a dad anymore, with whom they always spent Christmas together. As much as Feliciano tried to fill the void it was always there and as much as Romano tried to act indifferent and happy just for his brother, he knew his brother deep inside missed their father anyway and no matter what Romano did to make him, to make both of them, feel better, it just didn't work.

Feliciano this Christmas surprised both of them, finding another way to alleviate the pain…

"He is going to call over my boss and that idiot of his brother, who I still don't understand how come he is your friend…" Romano said, one day, as he and Antonio walked side by side in the cold air. Antonio had his arm around Romano's one and no matter how much Romano had tried to shake him away, Antonio didn't even budge. In the end Romano thought that Antonio should better not let his arm go because it just felt so warm… "And you are invited too, that's what he said…" Romano added then, hiding his face deeper in his coat.

"Really?" Antonio smiled cheerfully and suddenly stopped. "I wish I could come!", he sounded sincerely distressed and that took Romano totally aback. He was sure Antonio would squeal, hug him, tell him he was delighted to spend Christmas with his little…

"What do you mean _you wish_?"

Antonio's smile wavered and then looked down at Romano. "This is one of the main reasons I asked you out today…" Antonio said and then motioned them to both sit down on a free bench some steps away from them. Romano sat awkwardly down next to Antonio, who looked at the clouds full with snow up above before snuggling closer to Romano. "I must spend Christmas with my mother, back in Spain…"

"Oh…" Romano said. No, he wasn't disappointed. Not at all. A plate less, what's the bid deal? He told Feliciano Antonio wouldn't come, anyway. "You could have told me sooner, not that I care or anything…"

Antonio laughed and then smiled cheerfully again and took a little package he was hiding inside his coat. "That's for you!" Antonio exclaimed, holding the package with a big red ribbon on it and almost shoved it in Romano's face. "Come on! Open it!"

Romano blinked at Antonio's gift then at Antonio himself. "You mean…" Romano blushed and coughed a little, hiding deeper in his coat. "I didn't need any Christmas present, bastard…"

"I don't care if you didn't get me anything…" Antonio replied, "I don't need anything as long as I am with you…"

Romano coughed even more and abruptly grabbed the package from Antonio's hands. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Romano exclaimed but then with trembling hands opened his first gift of the year. Antonio's first gift to him. Antonio watched him, smiling, and then almost grinned when Romano took out with enquired eyebrows the scarf inside the box.

"It has little tomatoes on it…" Romano stated, his face blank.

"Yeah, isn't that cute?" Antonio smiled, "It is because whenever you blush you look just like a little tomato. See?" Antonio said raising the scarf to Romano's cheek level.

"I get it, idiot!" Romano shouted and then shoved the scarf back into the box. Antonio, totally unfazed, took it back out and wore it around Romano's neck.

Romano tried with all his might not to blush and Antonio took Romano's head in his hands and pulled him softly towards him, pressing their foreheads together.

"See? It suits you…"

Romano head-butted him.

"So when are you leaving?" Romano asked some time later when Antonio woke up. Antonio looked again up at the clouds and then turned his attention to Romano.

"Next week…"

And next week Romano was there at the airport to wave Antonio goodbye. Antonio, holding just a little black bag, was so happy Romano was there that he forgot they were surrounded by people and kissed Romano straight on the lips. Romano didn't mind at first until he realized that Antonio had managed to make Romano open his mouth for him and that people were starting to stare. Romano pushed immediately Antonio away, but he didn't have enough strength to kick Antonio properly away. Romano staid there with Antonio's arms still around him and then Antonio leaned down to kiss Romano again, this time on the cheek, pleasured to see Romano was wearing his scarf.

"The fly to Madrid…" a woman's voice said right then, echoing in the vast place, and Romano felt his stomach churn.

"Merry Christmas, Romano!" Antonio exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek one more time, and then made his way to were some hostesses were waiting. Romano raised his hand, opened his mouth to say something, then immediately let the hand fall limply against his side and he closed his mouth. Romano felt weird. In that moment he had wanted to say something to Antonio, but he didn't know what. Good luck? Have a nice flight? No, that wasn't it. Merry Christmas? Maybe… maybe. Whatever it was, Antonio had already got into the plane. If he didn't know what it was, it surely wasn't something important.

The 25th of December, when the doorbell to the Vargas house ringed, as soon as Gilbert barged into with cans of beer and an embarrassed Ludwig by his side, holding some gifts for them, Romano decided it was going to be the worst Christmas day ever. Feliciano, on the other, greeted his guest in his usual cheerful manner and dragged a pouting Romano with him wherever he went. They talked (or better yet, Gilbert bragged, Feliciano talked non-stop, Ludwig nodded, Romano pouted) and then they sat all together to eat.

Romano had to admit that he was having fun, in a way. Gilbert was too ridiculous not to laugh and thanks to him Romano didn't notice the way Ludwig and Feliciano often parted from them to stay a little alone in the kitchen. Of course if Gilbert hadn't give Romano those red, sexy underwear ("Because Antonio will love it, trust me!") under his brother's and his boss' eyes, it would have been better. The night went smoothly after that, it was the first Christmas in Romano's life that he didn't think about his parents, and when Ludwig took a drunk Gilbert into his arms and bid everyone goodnight and kissed Feliciano when he thought Romano wasn't looking, Romano wondered what Antonio was doing in Spain, if he was okay, if he was thinking of him.

Then Christmas passed, New Year came and still no news from Antonio. Again Feliciano invited Ludwig and Gilbert home to greet the New Year altogether and once again Romano and Feliciano forgot their loneliness.

Gilbert and Romano were talking, or, rather, bickering while Feliciano talked with Ludwig, snuggling with him, much to Ludwig's discomfort and Romano's annoyance, about nothing. Feliciano had switched on the television and no one was paying attention to the handsome host talking with a stand-up comedian who had performed before the countdown started. Suddenly Gilbert's phone started to ring and everyone fell silent to look at the albino. Gilbert, lightheaded from the alcohol, took the phone from his pocket and stared at the display for a moment before answering.

"Halo?", silence then Gilbert grinned just as the television started the countdown. "10!", the television shouted just as Gilbert said: "It's for you!" and held the phone to Romano.

Romano took the phone from Gilbert's hands, suspicious that Gilbert was playing some kind of trick with him, and said: "Hello?"

"8!"

Feliciano then stood up from his position and dragged Ludwig in the middle of the room. "Gilbert! Come here!" he shouted, holding a bottle of champagne in his hands.

"Romano!" on the other line someone exclaimed. Romano felt his heart stop beating. He knew that voice.

"5!"

Gilbert was grinning as Romano stared open-mouthed at his Vice-President. Gilbert snickered and then mouthed a: 'Go on, talk to him!'.

"Antonio…" Romano whispered. He was too shocked for words.

"2!"

"1!" shouted Feliciano cheerfully.

"Happy new year, Romano!" Antonio shouted in unison with Feliciano and Romano remained totally speechless. It was deep night in Spain now, he realized, was it possible he remained awake just for him? Romano felt a hard lump form in his throat and his eyes started to burn. He tried to swallow several times and bit his lip hard to keep the emotions in.

"Happy new year…" he whispered, his voice cracking just a little, and wondered if Antonio had heard him but Gilbert decided to take the phone back from Romano's hands just then.

"Oh, man, he is crying like a baby!" he shouted in the phone, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I'm not crying, dammit!" Romano rubbed his eyes hard and the anger at what Gilbert had said made his want to cry stop. Romano then kicked Gilbert in the shin and exclaimed: "Give me back the phone!"

In that moment he felt Feliciano's arms encircle his shoulders, clearly having overheard their conversation and noticing Romano's red eyes. Gilbert laughed and talked at the phone, but then he gave it back to Romano, who staid silent, listening to what Antonio was saying.

Feliciano exclaimed something to Ludwig who disappeared in the kitchen and returned with three glasses. Romano listened to Antonio's ramblings and he realized he felt happy. If that giddy feeling was happiness. Romano realized he couldn't wait to see Antonio again…

Romano had to wait some couple of weeks more, though, when tango lessons started again. Romano didn't know when exactly Antonio had returned home and he was quite shy to ask Gilbert if he had, knowing fully well the albino would mock him from years to come. So when he made his way to tango class he felt a mist of anticipation (illogical, mind you) and annoyance (why hadn't he called yet?).

"Romano!"

Romano turned around to look at Bella who was clearly running to reach him. When she regained her breath she smiled brightly as him and added: "How you've been?"

"Hi, Bella…" Romano said, "Happy New Year, by the way… even if it's quite late to say…"

"Happy New Year!" Bella said, "So, what did you do for Christmas? I've been with my husband all day, it was nice to be just the two of us for once…"

"I was with my brother and… some friends…" Romano answered as they started to walk again towards the Dancing School. Bella smiled.

"I presume from your tone of voice that you hadn't had the most relaxing vacations…" Bella laughed a little. Romano snorted, Gilbert and relaxing in the same sentence didn't fit. Romano and Bella walked in silence and when they arrived just before their tango class, Romano suddenly felt very nervous and let Bella open the door for the both of them.

"Hello!" Antonio said when they entered and when Romano saw him the first thing he thought was that something was completely off. Antonio was smiling, yes, as always, he greeted them cheerfully and even started a merry conversation with Bella about their Christmas vacation, but something wasn't right and Romano couldn't really put his finger on it. Then he noticed the dark circles under Antonio's green eyes and Romano enquired his eyebrow in confusion.

It was in that moment that Antonio turned to look at him and Romano noticed the smile falter on Antonio's lip for a moment, confusing Romano immensely, before it returned tenfold it's length.

"Hello, Romano!" Antonio smiled. "Ready for the first lesson of the year?"

Romano nodded, just a little, and then Bella took his hands as she always did. Antonio put on the music and didn't talk for the rest of the hour and Romano thought he was going crazy but he could swear that Antonio was uncharacteristically trying to avoid touching him. Antonio was the first to go when the lesson finished and even if Bella hadn't noticed anything wrong with Antonio's behavior, Romano felt really upset. The next time they saw each other Antonio acted as naturally as before, the dark circles completely vanished, and Romano wondered if he had acted strange because Antonio was tired and let it go like that.

Romano knew that he kind of overreacted so he trying with all his might to think that Antonio less talking and introvert behavior when it came to Romano was just all in his imagination. When asked, even Elizabeta said she didn't see anything wrong with Antonio. Antonio on the other didn't say anything, didn't even imply there was something wrong, just smiled and talked as always and so Romano convinced himself that he had just seeing things.

When one day Antonio took him out and hugged him like there was no tomorrow, though, all Romano's suspicion disappeared. If Antonio hugged him like that, Antonio was normal.

The next in the list to act strange, unexpectedly, was no other than his brother Feliciano. For a couple of days, just when February started, Feliciano went uncharacteristically silent and looked tense. Romano let it go for the first couple of days but then he knew Feliciano long enough that if he hadn't say anything till then, it was really serious.

So Romano decided to drop the bomb one day at dinner. Romano watched as Feliciano made the past as always and when he couldn't take it anymore, he said:

"Okay, spit it out, Feli… What is it?"

That made Feliciano to almost drop the pasta on the floor. Feliciano regained his usual cheerful manner too soon for Romano's tastes.

"What is what?" Feliciano smiled and took Romano's plate to fill it with pasta.

"Don't bullshit me…" Romano spat. "I know something is wrong…"

Feliciano tried to pretend everything was right for a couple of moments more before leaving the plate on the table and sighing loudly.

"It's days I want to tell you, but…" Feliciano dropped his eyes to the floor and started playing with his fingers, as he usually did when nervous.

"Are you scared of me?" Romano wanted to laugh but he knew it was really serious if Feliciano avoided to talk like that. A light of determination lighted in Feliciano's eyes and Romano embraced himself to what was going to happen:

"I first of all want to tell you that I know you don't like Ludwig and that you don't really see how much of a good guy he really is. I… I want you to know he is shy, really shy, and it takes him so much time to do even the most easy things… so you must comprehend how much courage it took him to actually ask me out, the way he didn't like that I didn't tell you, my brother, that we were going out… but as he doesn't have courage to tell me things I don't have courage to tell you things…"

"What are you trying to tell me?"

Feliciano remained silent once more before nodding at himself and going for it: "He asked me to move in with him…"

Romano could only stare.

"I was so happy, I am so happy, that he found the courage to do this step and I love him so much, you don't understand how much, so…" Feliciano continued immediately after.

"You said yes…"

"I said yes…." Feliciano repeated and then looked at Romano: "But I know that this could make you unhappy and I don't want you to be unhappy and…"

"You are moving out…" Romano just said.

"I won't if you don't want!" Feliciano cried immediately after, "I don't want you to be alone, I want you to be happy, after everything you did for me… I…"

Romano remained silent. He looked down on the table and then went over Feliciano's words in his head.

"You love him…" he remembered Feliciano had said a moment before. "And he loves you, he makes you happy…", Romano looked up at Feliciano who seemed taken aback by Romano's words.

"Y-yes…".

"He is a bastard for not asking you sooner and made you wait…" Romano sighed.

It took Feliciano a lot to understand what was going on.

"Oh, thank you, vee!" and Feliciano hugged him close, utterly happy and Romano tried to smile for him, he really did, but in the end he couldn't take it, shoved Feliciano gently away with a: "Okay, okay, enough, idiot…" and Feliciano smiled, laughed and they continued to eat in peace. When dinner was over, Feliciano immediately went to phone Ludwig and Romano remained alone in the kitchen and his apathetic façade broke down and he stared at the empty table before him.

Romano listened to Feliciano converse with Ludwig and Romano knew he should be happy for his brother and in a way he was. But at the same time it made him feel really lonely.

Romano stood up, cleared the table, washed the dishes as Feliciano still talked and talked and when he thought his brother wasn't looking, Romano put on his coat and exited the house, closing the door behind him with a soft click. It was Romano's feet that led the way, not the mind. Romano wasn't thinking about anything and when he noticed it had started to rain Romano was too far away from home to return in time. Romano didn't really care in that moment as he stood and the rain became sharper, heavier.

It took him a moment to realize that Romano had been wrong since then. Romano always thought, since their father died, that Feliciano needed him, but in the end Feliciano was stronger than he showed, he was more independent. Romano should have noticed before, when he discovered Feliciano working part time in that restaurant, he should have seen the determination in his brother's eyes, a light that he never saw in his own. In the end Romano had to admit that it was him that needed Feliciano the most.

It was him who couldn't go on.

The words hit him hard and he felt a sharp pain in the middle of the chest. Romano was alone. Completely alone.

Suddenly the rain stopped and Romano blinked because he could still hear the rain on the street and he could still see it pouring down a meter before him. He looked up and gasped in surprise when he met Antonio's gaze, who was holding an umbrella over both of them.

"Is no one home?" Antonio asked and the absurdity of the question took Romano totally aback until he noticed where he had been standing all that time: just before the front door of Antonio's building. Antonio smiled and Romano noticed he was holding some super-markets bags.

"You are soaking wet!" Antonio exclaimed when Romano didn't say anything, Romano just nodded and the motion made some drops of water stream down along his face and nose. "Come inside!" Antonio said worried and pushed the door wide open. Romano followed him, he followed Antonio up to his apartment and when they were inside Antonio immediately dropped the bags and coat down on the floor.

"Gilbert? Francis?" he shouted but no one was home. Romano calmly followed Antonio and looked around the house, still dizzy from the news Feliciano had told him. "You are going to get sick, come…" Antonio took him by the hand and led him immediately down the corridor to a room Romano had never seen. Romano looked around the room: no posters, just a big bed in the middle, a closet, a black bag in the corner, some disks scattered around the floor. It was Antonio's room.

Romano was pushed out from his stupor when Antonio started to take off Romano's coat.

"What are you doing?" Romano suddenly shouted and Antonio laughed.

"So you talk?"

"Of course, bastard…" Romano blushed, knowing he had been so deep in thought that Antonio had worried about him not talking, reacting whatsoever. "I can do it myself, thank you…" and Romano took of his coat and noticed that his clothes too were wet.

"I'll lend you some of my clothes…" Antonio said, "How long have you been standing in the rain?"

Romano blushed, he didn't know really. Antonio sighed and then smiled at Romano, making the younger man suddenly very self-conscious. His clothes were so wet Romano too knew that it didn't leave anything to the other's imagination and Romano sat down on the bed, trying to show less of his body. Antonio watched him and then suddenly disappeared from Romano's sight only to return with a towel immediately afterwards.

"What were you thinking of, hmm?" Antonio asked almost in a whisper as he kneeled down at Romano's eye level.

"Nothing." Romano said and grabbed the towel from Antonio's hands and started drying his face. Antonio stared at him, Romano tried to not look at him in the eyes, then he broke: "It's nothing, stop looking at me like that…"

"Have you fighted with your brother?"

"No." Romano said then sighed. "It's nothing, alright? He will… just… move out… I wanted…" then Romano stopped and started rubbing the towel harsher against his face.

"Stop…" Antonio said and took the towel from Romano's face. "Oh, look at that… now you look even more like a tomato!" Antonio laughed and Romano pouted.

"Shut up!" and crossed his arms against his chest. Antonio giggled and Romano expected him to call him cute or something but Antonio did nothing of the sort. He just started drying Romano's hair with the towel and Romano remained still, fascinated at how softly Antonio's hands where on him. Romano started to blush really bad and suddenly Antonio's hands gently stroke the curl that usually stuck out from the rest of his hair.

Romano pushed suddenly Antonio away, slamming his hands over his mouth. Romano's eyes were wide and his face became real red, much too Antonio's confusion. Antonio then stretched his hands and touched Romano's hair.

"What's wrong?" he asked, really worried. Romano felt his breath come shorter and he wanted to push Antonio away but at the same time… Antonio raised an eyebrow as Romano started to shake. "Are you hurt?"

Romano shook his head but by doing this, with Antonio's hands on his head still, it made the curl being entangled in Antonio's fingers and Romano felt his body go limp…

"Y-your touch…" Romano managed to say

Antonio tilted his head and as if burned pulled his hand away. In Romano's eyes the room started to feel hotter, heavier, and Antonio was too far, too far…

And then Antonio blushed. Romano had never seen Antonio blush and he watched amazed as Antonio stood suddenly up and then looked around the room, clearly embarrassed and not knowing what to do. Romano in the meantime was slowly waking up from his stupor and suddenly he felt even more self-conscious than before, Antonio coughed and then scratched his head.

"I guess I should leave you alone…" Antonio said and Romano felt his heart break. Why Antonio was avoiding him so much? His eyes started to sting and Romano pressed his hand against his mouth again.

"Not you too…" Romano whispered and watched as Antonio was thinking of going away and stay were he was. Romano wished then that Antonio would disappear, not this hesitation. This hesitation hurt.

And suddenly Antonio was there, kissing him with a passion Romano had never experienced before, not even when he saw Antonio angry for the first time. Romano felt overwhelmed, he kissed back with anger and he felt Antonio's hands on him, the rain on his skin making everything feel weirder, better. Then Romano stopped thinking as he pulled Antonio down on the bed with him, curious of what Antonio's skin would feel on him, what Antonio would feel like inside him and at the same time embarrassed and aroused from thinking such things.

Antonio seemed not to mind, as soon as Romano started to touch him back, all hesitation flew out of the window. Antonio knew he should have moved away, let the thoughts come clearly in his minds but long avoided instinct took finally over and he touched, kissed, moved, feeled. Their hearts sped out of control. Their bodies pressed together.

Pure bliss.


	8. Chapter 8

His room felt different.

That was Romano's first thought when he groggily opened his eyes and noticed the white sheets covering his naked body. It would have been nothing unusual, really, if it wasn't for the fact that the window was on the wrong side of the room, and when had he bought that strange lamp, anyway? What about the furniture? And… Reality hit him like a ton of bricks just then and Romano shot up from the bed and abruptly turned his head to where he remembered Antonio have fell asleep.

It was with a sigh of relief and disappointment that Romano realized he was alone. His eyes scanned the room and noticed that only his clothes were still scattered around the floor. The only thing that Antonio had left behind was his scent. Romano sighed and turned to look at the clock sitting innocently on Antonio's bedside table.

_11:32_

Romano blinked, hoping he had read the time wrong.

"DAMMIT!" he shouted.

Romano shot up from the bed. He was two full hours late for work! Damn that bastard! How could he let him sleep! He was screwed… Beilschmidt was going to have his head on a silver platter! Romano quickly ran to get his clothes but by doing so his legs awkwardly tangled in the sheets.

"_CHIGIII!_", Romano tried to not fall by grabbing the window's curtains. In the end Romano became one with them and the sheets…

The door slammed open. Romano bit his tongue hard and with one eye open, he looked up to see whose exactly attention he got. He really hoped it wasn't Antonio… he supposed the bastard wouldn't be so happy to see his curtains ruined…

It was Francis.

"That is even worse…" Romano thought and stared at Francis who was blinking at the breathing mass on the floor near the bed. Romano couldn't feel more mortified and became suddenly very self-conscious. Moreover, he really didn't like the way Francis was eyeing him… wait….

"Tell me you aren't nose-bleeding…" Romano uttered calmly.

"N-no…" Francis hesitated. Romano tsk-ed.

"Get OUT!" Romano shouted, reached for his shoe and threw it with all the strength he had at Francis. The door slammed close again and the shoe comically bounced against it's hard surface, unfortunately missing it's target. Romano cursed and untangled himself from the sheets and the curtains. He immediately put on his underwear and tried to find the rest of his clothes quickly, before Francis decided it would be a good idea to come in again.

"Just for the record…" Romano heard Francis say from the other side of the door. "You aren't going to work with those crumpled clothes on, right?"

"Why do you care, bastard?" Romano shouted trying to put on his pants. The door click open again and Romano dropped his clothes and wore the sheets around his shoulders instead, covering most of his body in one quick move. Now… if he could find his other shoe… this time he won't miss that stupid blond head…

"May I?" Francis asked but he was already inside the room before Romano could yell at him again.

"Leave me alone, bastard! I'm already late!" Romano shouted and stood up, pulling the sheets closer to his body. Francis wasn't looking at him, though, but at the curtain still on the floor.

"Antonio won't be pleased about that…" he mused and then he looked back at Romano, grinning like the idiot he was. "So…"

Romano blushed: "So what?", he spat and Francis grinned even more. "Stop looking at me like that, pervert! Now give me the damned clothes you promised me!"

"Oh, right!" Francis chuckled, motioned Romano to follow him and exited Antonio's room. Romano narrowed his eyes in suspicion but decided to follow Francis anyway, ready to head-butt him if he tried anything funny.

Francis opened another door and Romano watched him go in first. Hoping he wasn't making a mistake, Romano followed him into the room. The first thing Romano thought was how dissimilar that room from Antonio's plain one. It was difficult not to notice the difference, really. The walls were covered in posters that went from football-teams to pin-up girls and worse, the rest of the room was simply a mess to put it mildly.

"It's Gilbert's room…" Francis explained as if reading Romano's mind and Romano turned to look at him, cursing himself for forgetting Francis was there with him. Francis thought wasn't looking at him but was searching something in a covered with posters closet. "Antonio considers his room just as a place to sleep and nothing else. Well, until now…" Francis chuckled again and Romano blushed. "Gilbert considers his bedroom his little temple…"

A little chaotic, smelly temple, Romano thought and then, suddenly, he heard something cheeping. He scanned the room and noticed the little yellow chick cheeping happily around, on Gilbert's bed.

"Poor chick, the things you must have seen…" Romano mused, petting the little chick with a finger and surprised it actually let Romano touch him.

"What did you say?" Francis asked then and Romano turned to look at him again and frowned as soon as he realized what Francis had been doing so long…

"Pervert!" Romano shouted, "You were supposed to search for clothes, not to ogle at Gilbert's underwear, which, by the way, I just find gross!"

Francis immediately closed Gilbert's underwear's drawer and immediately took out a shirt and some jeans. "Here you go!" Francis said with a smile and Romano twisted his lip in suspicion. "Oh, they are Gilbert's old clothes…" Francis said, "He keeps them because he says that if the awesome him wore them, it's a shame to throw them away…"

"I didn't mean that…" Romano said and Francis raised an eyebrow. "Do you mind…" and Romano motioned for the door with his chin.

"No, I'm okay…" Francis said, sitting comfortably down. Romano's eyes twitched again.

"Get the fuck out!" Romano shouted, bending to grab a really heavy book from the floor. Francis took the message and ran away, laughing.

"Oh, by the way…" Francis peeped in again when Romano was ready to slip the sheets off his shoulders. "Do you need a ride to work?"

"GET OUT!" Romano closed the door with the key. "And YES you better!" he added then, before quickly putting Gilbert's clothes on, that strangely enough fitted him.

Francis kept his kind of promise and gave Romano a ride to work with his motorbike, but as much as Francis tried to take shortcuts and go faster, Romano was nonetheless too late They arrived fifteen minutes later and as soon as Francis stopped the bike, Romano hopped off and started thinking of all the excuses he could use if asked.

All he need was to find Elizabeta. She surely would help Romano out of this mess. Maybe she could say they had been working together and no one had strangely noticed Romano or…

Whatever! He just needed to find her. Romano noticed that he was just before the Vice-President's door and he made to move on unnoticed when suddenly a voice made him stop in his tracks. It was Elizabeta's voice and she was in the Gilbert's office.

Romano slowly opened the door and entered without knocking, something that he regretted almost immediately.

"E-Elizabeta?" Romano whispered, his eyes widening in shock, because there Elizabeta was, pressed against Gilbert. And they were kissing. And she seemed to kiss back. Elizabeta had her delicate fingers into Gilbert's hair and Gilbert was holding so close….

"Oh, god…" Romano shouted suddenly and immediately bit his tongue. At the sound of his voice Elizabeta violently turned her head to look at him, shoved Gilbert away and proceeded to hit the man really hard with a huge stapler that happened to be near her, on Gilbert's desk.

"How dare you!" Elizabeta exclaimed and both Romano and Gilbert blinked at her, in surprise. She was flushing madly and Romano swore he had never saw Elizabeta that way, ever. Gilbert rubbed his aching head and suddenly was aware of Romano standing on the doorway. All the attention made Romano blush with embarrassment.

"I… I… er…" Romano wanted so much to turn around and run away, back into Antonio's room.

"Are those my clothes?" Gilbert said, out of the blue, blinking at Romano as if he hadn't been making out with Elizabeta two seconds before. "What were you doing in my…" Gilbert started and Romano gulped again, this time for a different reason. Then that look of realization on Gilbert's eyes. "Oh…" Gilbert mouthed and then a grin slowly appeared on his face. "_Oh!_"

"Shut the hell up!" Romano shouted and blushed even darker. Elizabeta, who was still holding the stapler as a weapon, observed confused the two men in the room.

"What did I miss?" she exclaimed, immediately forgetting all the embarrassment from being caught with Gilbert. Gilbert grinned and Romano cursed. What a turn of events…

"So that's why you are l-a-t-e~" Gilbert mocked.

"Elizabeta…" Romano said then, holding his face with both hands. "Please hit him again for me…"

"Just because you asked so nicely…" Elizabeta said with a smile and made to hit Gilbert back on the head but this time Gilbert knew how to defend himself.

"If you hit me, I won't tell you what happened!" Gilbert exclaimed.

"That's a good point too…" Elizabeta hesitated and then she turned to look at Romano. "Why are you late?"

"A- and why were you two sucking each other lips? Weren't you with Roderich?" Romano spat back, his face red. Elizabeta suddenly blushed again and looked at Gilbert, who turned his attention back at Elizabeta again. Romano saw the look in Gilbert's eyes, recognized it immediately, because, even if he didn't want to admit it, it was the same look he knew he got whenever he thought about Antonio. Elizabeta bit her lips and then suddenly she pushed Romano away and ran out of the office.

Romano felt really awkward and shifted from leg to leg, not knowing if he should ran after Elizabeta or if it was something Gilbert should do. In the end neither of them did anything and Gilbert and Romano stared at each other for a very long time. To be sincere, Romano was staring at Gilbert while Gilbert stared at something Romano couldn't see…

The strange look (was it sad? Romano swore he never saw Gilbert sad!) disappeared in a matter of seconds from Gilbert's face, though, and the albino suddenly looked at Romano with a smirk back on his lips.

"So how was it?" Gilbert simply asked, taking Romano totally aback.

"W-what?" Romano and then, seeing that Gilbert was going to ask again, and started to stutter. "I don't know what you… you are t-talking about, bastard! I-!" and Romano couldn't bear the embarrassment anymore and kicked Gilbert in the leg.

"What was that for?" Gilbert shouted, crouching down in two from the pain.

"That was for asking such private things, you bastard!" Romano shouted and Gilbert, despite the pain, both physical and physiological, began to laugh.

"Ok, don't tell me!" Gilbert exclaimed, "I can only suppose then that you took it well, the fact that Antonio's moving back to Spain in a month…"

A phrase and Romano's life changed in an instant.

"What did you say?" Romano spelled the words slowly, hoping he had heard wrong. Gilbert's smile slowly vanished and he looked at Romano with an enquired white eyebrow. "He's… moving… back? Like… forever?", Romano asked and made a step forward, staring at Gilbert straight in the eyes.

"He didn't tell you?" Gilbert confusion turned into shock, "I knew he was a good liar but I… I thought…" Gilbert was at loss with words and started scratching the back of his head. "Wasn't I supposed to tell…?"

"The bastard planned to keep it a secret?" Romano suddenly shouted and grabbed Gilbert's shirt. "When he is going to… to…!"

"In a month… he had planned to move back since he returned from his holidays…" Gilbert confessed and at each word Romano's head started to spin. That was why he acted so distant? Was that the reason Antonio had seemed so…

"Why didn't he tell me?" Romano suddenly snapped. "Why that fucking bastard didn't tell _me_!" and started shaking Gilbert as if it was his fault Antonio hadn't say, not even insinuated anything.

"Romano…" Gilbert started but Romano wasn't listening anymore. He pushed Gilbert away and ran out of the door, in the same fashion Elizabeta had done moments before. Romano couldn't believe what Gilbert had told him, what Antonio had omitted to tell him. If it had been something along the lines: "I forgot to tell you that I'm allergic to strawberries or something", Romano wouldn't care, but this was important. Too important. Even an idiot like Antonio couldn't forget something like _that_! Romano didn't want to think about it. What it meant. Nothing. Romano was going to find Mrs. Frog-face so she could give him the work of his life, and pissed as he would be at his paperwork, Romano won't be pissed at Antonio… much.

At least that was how Romano thought it would work but it didn't. The more he worked, the angrier and more confused Romano became. Thousands of questions twirled in his head and all the answers he gave himself, made him feel even more… used.

Damn it. What had Antonio been thinking? All Romano had to do, he decided in the end, was to face Antonio about it. Even if he was so scared to know the truth…

That was why Romano decided to go to the Dancing School earlier that day, hoping he won't meet Bella along the way, and he slammed the doors open to get Antonio's attention. Romano felt suddenly a sense of déjà-vou as he saw Antonio standing beside the window looking so deep in thought. Romano suddenly felt very scared. Nothing good was going to come out of this, Romano sensed and he finally panicked as Antonio slowly turned to look at him.

Romano didn't register Antonio's expression and neither noticed that Antonio had opened his mouth to talk first.

"In a month you are going to move back in Spain forever…" Romano blurted out and cursed because those weren't the words he had intended to use at first. "You didn't tell me…", Romano's hands were shaking and while his heart was beating hard against his chest, his voice strangely came out flat. It was then that Romano understood that all in all he didn't believe Antonio had kept such a big secret away from him. Antonio looked at him and Romano decided he was going to give Antonio a chance.

Antonio could say that he had forgotten about it, Romano knew it wasn't past Antonio to do such a thing, even if he didn't believe anyone could forget something like that. Antonio could say everything he wanted: that the competition took so much of his time that he couldn't find a moment to tell him, that he forgot Romano's number, whatever dumb excuse would do and Romano would believe him, bitch about it for a while and leave it as that.

"Would I really leave it as that?" Romano thought. "Bastard, speak!" he wanted to shout but the words didn't leave his mouth. For the first time since Romano had barged in, Antonio looked down and his eyes betrayed an emotion Romano in his state couldn't decipher and only helped him to feel angrier. Then, after an endless moment of silence, Antonio looked up back at Romano.

The coldness of that look terrified Romano to no end.

Romano had seen Antonio angry and it was frightening, intimidating even, but Romano could cope an angry Antonio. A cold Antonio was an entirely different thing. The way he was looking at him was scary and impossible to bear. Romano couldn't read Antonio's mind in that moment. Something was seriously off…

"There was no reason for me to…" Antonio said then. "You are just one of my students that happened to become a really entertaining pastime for me…"

Antonio said it so casually that Romano thought for a moment that Antonio was joking. But Antonio was serious and Romano was shocked about the things Antonio was telling him. So that was it? Romano had been just Antonio's pastime all this time? Of course, Romano should have expected that, in a way… Antonio had never told him that he lo—…

"Moreover…" Antonio said, "You are so clingy and I really didn't want you to hinder my plans by telling me you wanted to follow me in Spain no matter what. That was why I planned to tell you all two days before the competition…"

The last words really stung and Romano suddenly realized how much he had let Antonio into his mind. It was true: Romano would have followed him in Spain. Antonio knew Romano well but the thing that made Romano angry the most was that he thought he knew Antonio too.

All the things Antonio had told him had been lies.

"I'm really sorry if I made you think that you meant something more to me…" Antonio continued and for a moment Romano thought he saw real remorse in those green eyes but Romano immediately knew that that light too was fake. "What were you expecting really? Haven't you ever wondered what I saw in you?"

All the time. Romano thought. All the fucking time.

Romano bit his lip hard. The sadness he could have felt, dissipated in anger. Romano just felt pity for himself. How stupid he had been. He always had known that no one could care about him, let alone love him for him, and then someone says nice words to him and he opens up like a fucking idiot! That should serve him right! He should have known… Romano wanted to yell at Antonio and hit him really bad, but at the same time he didn't want to do anything. He just wanted to… run away and never come back.

It was then that the door opened again and Romano, startled, looked at Bella's confused face. Bella shyly looked at them from the doorway, her eyes darting to Romano's face to Antonio's before exclaiming:

"Sorry, I'm late!"

Bella.

Romano hadn't thought about tango. What would he do? Will he have the strength to come and see Antonio every time? Will he have the strength to abandon Bella like that? No. He couldn't do that to her. Romano decided he would continue coming to tango class only for Bella's sake. He had agreed on this stupid competition for Bella and he will do everything he could for Bella. Antonio had nothing to do with it, not anymore. Romano felt his whole body shake but he gulped all the feelings down and greeted Bella as he always did. Romano would pretend that nothing happened, that Antonio wasn't there and everything would go as smooth as ever and when the class was over, he would immediately run home…

"No, you aren't late, Bella!" Antonio said and the cheerful tone with which he said it made Romano feel even angrier. Antonio didn't care. Never had. "But we have a month before the competition, so we have to start practicing right away!"

"Oh, of course!" Bella said and ran to take Romano's hands. Romano wasn't in the mood to dance and he knew Bella noticed because she looked up into Romano's eyes, searching for something that in the end she couldn't find. Romano couldn't bear the stare and looked down, while suddenly the music started to play in the background and he could do nothing more than start practicing with Bella. They started dancing and Romano concentrated on Bella, just on Bella, because if he didn't, his façade would surely break down.

When class was over Romano didn't even look at Antonio, just gathered his things and made quickly his way to the door. A hand stopped him though and he looked back, thinking –hoping- it was Antonio, but his eyes only met Bella's smiling face.

"Let's walk together for a while…" she said and then looked back at Antonio: "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Bella…" Romano heard Antonio say. Romano felt his heart sunk and started walking quickly away from that room with Bella on tow.

They walked in silence for some minutes and soon Romano forgot Bella was even there with him as he was so deep in thought. That was why he was startled when he heard her say:

"Let's sit on that bench, please, I'm really tired…" she said and slumped on the bench, letting out a sigh. Romano shrugged and followed her. Then he got a scary thought. What if she had heard everything? Was she going to ask about it?

"I have a confession to make…" Bella said and Romano's heart started to beat madly against his chest. "I…" Bella smiled at him, "I want to say thank you!"

"W-what?" of all the things she could have said, Romano hadn't really expected that.

"I want to say thank you…" Bella repeated and then looked up at the stars above, before continued: "In the beginning I really had this tiny crush on you…" and she blushed a little, before chuckling at Romano's embarrassed expression, "Well, I don't anymore, don't worry… I know you're Antonio's…"

Romano gasped and turned his head abruptly to look at her.

"W-what?"

"Yeah…" Bella laughed again, "When I was kind in love with you, I started noticing all the little things you did… I was more perceptive of the way you looked, the way you moved and that was why I noticed that you and Antonio…", she laughed again. Romano silently snorted and wondered how Antonio had managed to fool them all like that.

"Remember that day when we went all together to that bar?" Bella continued suddenly, "I told you how my husband doesn't want me to work and you had been the only one who said something about it…"

"I only said it was stupid…", Romano remembered that day well and raised an eyebrow at Bella confused. Bella turned to look at him and smiled softly.

"That was enough…" she said, "That's why I want to say thank you, because thanks to my crush, thanks to you, I finally found the courage to take matters into my hands. I realized that I really love my husband but I didn't want to live as he wanted anymore, so I applied for a job right the day after our little gathering. He didn't like it at first but he sees how happy I am now and he actually can't wait for me to start…" Bella was smiling widely now.

"I don't know what to say…" Romano said and Bella put a hand on his shoulder.

"I just wanted to confess this to you…" Bella said and then she stood up. "See you next time in tango class?"

Romano stared at her for a moment, at her delicate face and that smile so in contrast with the way he was feeling in that moment, and he nodded.

"See you next time…"

She waved at him, took some keys from out her purse and Romano watched her disappeared inside a car. Romano remained sitting on the bench for a while more, he felt empty but his head was full of thoughts. A crazy feeling. Romano remembered Antonio's confession, then Bella's one and the strength she got from her crush suddenly surprised him. Should he do the same? Move on?

But move on from what? There hadn't been anything… even if he had thought…

Romano suddenly stood up and he almost ran home. When just before their house's front door, he looked up to stare at his bedroom window and remembered a day when he had woken up to the doorbell ringing…

"I don't want to see the world from that window, anymore…" Romano thought. He made to open the front door that suddenly Romano felt his brother's arms around his body.

"Romano! Where have you been!" he heard Feliciano exclaim and his brother pulled him inside their home. "I was so worried! What happened?"

Romano looked at Feliciano and, suddenly, an idea slowly formed in his head.

"Have you still packed?" Romano asked unexpectedly and Feliciano tilted his head in confusion.

"Ve~?", Romano sighed in annoyance, "Some things, why?" Feliciano immediately answered.

"Well, unpack!" Romano exclaimed, making his way into the house, leaving a thunderstruck Feliciano behind.

"What?" Feliciano's eyes widened in shock, "I thought you were…"

"I am!" Romano said, "But you are staying here…"

"Romano, you are not making any sense~!" Feliciano whined.

"I'm leaving…" Romano said, "You stay, your boyfriend is going to move here, while I move out…"

It took Feliciano a lot to get what Romano wanted to say and when Romano knew Feliciano was going to ask him why, he said:

"You love this house, Feliciano, I know you do. It was our father's. I don't love this house as you much as you do, Feli, and, moreover, think about it, it's too big for just me. I know the pot- Ludwig's place is too small for the both of you… I know you love large spaces and that you can't live in a tiny apartment…

"I'm moving out, the pot- Ludwig's coming here…" Romano added then. Feliciano blinked at him, the looked down and bit his lip, in the same fashion Romano and their mother always did. Romano knew that Feliciano was going to cry and, as a matter of fact, a moment later, Feliciano was hugging him close and wetting Romano's (no, Gilbert's) shirt.

"T-thanks, Romano! Thanks!"

Romano felt a little awkward, still not really comfortable with Feliciano's sudden displays of affection even after all this years of being brothers.

"Stop crying, Feli!" he reprimanded, but then his voice grew softer and he hugged Feliciano back. "Now give me that pot- dammit! Ludwig's phone number, I must tell him we are…exchanging apartments…"

He felt Feliciano chuckle between sobs at Romano's slip and then nodded against Romano's shirt. This time it was Romano who hugged Feliciano close.

It felt good to know that there was at least one person in this world for him to trust.


	9. Chapter 9

Romano didn't expect that moving out would be such a tiring job. The last time he had packed to move into another house Romano had been twelve, more or less, and the most of the hard work had been his father's doing. However, Romano, despite his laziness, didn't mind the job so much. Given it required all his attention, there wasn't enough room in his mind for Antonio and that was a point in his favor.

Ludwig excused both of them from work and because it was the President's order, no one had anything to say against it (at least, not in their face) even if Romano knew that -Polish bastard- Feliks had started another rumor about them behind their backs. Moreover, Ludwig together with Feliciano helped Romano move all his things from his old room to Ludwig's –smelling of beer, Romano claimed- apartment and all the bickering between them, helped Romano think even less about Antonio.

Ludwig still wasn't sure if the exchange had been a good idea (and not because Romano kept complaining about the oppressing German atmosphere in there), even if he didn't mind the idea of living in a bigger house, and kept asking Romano if he really was okay with it.

"Are you sure…" he would always try to ask. Gilbert had told Ludwig about Romano's situation and even if he didn't know Antonio that well, Ludwig understood how devastated Romano must be if he had agreed to leave the big house all to Feliciano and to Ludwig, who he claimed to hate so much (Ludwig knew Romano hated him, even if Romano never dared to say anything to him, since he was his boss).

But Romano's laconic respond would be just a: "Yes."

"But that house…"

"I said yes" Romano would cut him and then, when Ludwig wasn't listening Romano would add the "Dammit…" Romano so wanted to shout to the world. Damned Feliciano who wanted Romano to be as nice as he could to Ludwig and damned the fact Ludwig was his boss on top of it all. Romano felt so restrained.

Feliciano decided moreover he was going to re-stylize Ludwig's apartment to something more of Romano's tastes, that in the end resembled more the house Feliciano would love to have than Romano did, and of course, regardless of the fact Romano declared he wanted to do it himself, Feliciano proceeded to do as he wanted anyway, pissing Romano off on one hand, and making Romano feel relief on the other because that would mean more work and less time to think.

Romano had to stop tango lessons too because putting everything in boxes, labeling everything ("So you are sure you are not forgetting something", Ludwig said), run after Feliciano, trying to not punch Ludwig in the face and go back and for from Ludwig's apartment, and don't make Romano start talking about all the papers he had to sign to make his moving out official, gave him enough excuses to miss a couple of lessons or even more.

Not that Romano cared about tango lessons. The only one who seemed to care to the point of being anxious was Bella.

"But the competition is going to be real soon!" Bella had told him once over the phone, "Antonio's teaching me all by myself. Are you sure you will make it?"

"Don't worry, everything will be just fine…" he had said, balancing the phone between his shoulder and chin, while carrying around a painting Feliciano wanted Romano to have and wouldn't it be great against that wall? No, better there, come with me, Romano…

"I'm not worried…" Bella said in that tone of voice that meant she in fact did, "But we have to practice…"

"I'll be back soon, Bella. I have now more important things that tango, dammit!" Romano exclaimed and soon enough he felt bad for overreacting like that.

"Oh, okay…" Bella had said and with a: "See you soon, then?", she hung up.

Romano cursed.

Another woman he was having problems with was Elizabeta. He hadn't told Elizabeta he was moving out, even if he was sure either Feliciano or Gilbert had told her, and he was quite perplexed by the fact Elizabeta hadn't still called him to ask where the hell he was. In the end Romano thought that Elizabeta was probably avoiding talking to Romano after that incident in Gilbert's office.

Was she scared that Romano would ask her indiscrete questions about that? Elizabeta knew Romano was the kind of man that didn't ask when he knows he shouldn't. Was she scared that he could tell Roderich? Once again, Romano wasn't the man to talk. _I see nothing, I hear nothing, I say nothing_. So what was it?

So it was a real surprise when one day, just the day after all the moving out had finally ended, Elizabeta willingly came to visit him in his new apartment. When the doorbell rang, Romano had wanted to just relax and enjoy a little peace after so many days with Feliciano and Ludwig around, and he stood up, his eye twitching in annoyance.

"It must be Feli… he must have forgotten something, the idiot…" he wondered out loud and slammed the door open, insult ready on his lips. Whatever he had wanted to say, thought, died in his throat when he saw Elizabeta standing behind the door, smile on her lips.

"I knew I would found you here!" Elizabeta exclaimed and entered the house without any invitation. Romano stared at her, confused, then mechanically closed the door behind them.

"Who…" he started and Elizabeta finally looked at him.

"Gilbert told me…" Elizabeta said and her cheeks tinted just a little. "Wonderful apartment…" she added then, absentmindedly, and she started pacing up and down the room. Suddenly she stopped before one of the paintings on the wall and said: "I love this! It's Feliciano's, isn't it?". Her voice was quite too shrilly to be real. Romano had known Elizabeta many years and knew when she was hiding something.

"You are not here for the apartment…" he stated and Elizabeta bit her lip. "Spit it out…", Romano exclaimed, his eyes narrowing. Elizabeta fidgeted, looked away, then she stared at her fingers. In that moment Romano realized immediately what exactly she wanted to talk about.

That was enough to make Romano panic. Either Antonio or Gilbert had told her and she was here to pity him.

"Gilbert told me about your relationship with Antonio…" she said, confirming his fears. Romano thought Elizabeta noticed the sourness of his face because soon she put a hand on his shoulder in sympathy. Before Romano could say anything thought, Elizabeta continued:

"I must say I was shocked that you and Antonio had been going out for so long without me noticing!" Elizabeta laughed a little nervously, "Usually, I am the first one to notice these things…", she licked her lips, nervous, "…you… well…"

Romano was starting to feel irritated. He didn't want to think about that bastard, at all. And Elizabeta's pity was making everything worse.

"Gilbert told me…" Elizabeta repeated but before she could end her phrase Romano snapped.

"You are pretty close now, aren't you two?" Romano said with distaste. Elizabeta seemed taken aback then she diverted her eyes from Romano's stare. "Listen, I don't want to hear any more bullshit and I don't want anyone's pity, okay?" he exclaimed and marched back to the door. "So do me a favor and don't talk about that son of a bitch in front of me ever again, dammit!" he exclaimed and opened the door once more.

Elizabeta stared at the open door confused then she looked up at Romano.

"No, no, no! Romano!" Elizabeta said, "I'm not here to pity you! Oh, it came out all wrong…" she exclaimed and took Romano's hand: "Gilbert told me they are friends for so long there is no way…" she tried again "I'm sure too he is lying, Romano! He is too good of a man! He must be hiding something!"

Romano slammed the door back shut and pulled his hand away from Elizabeta's grip. She seemed unfazed.

"You should know, right?" Romano said, his voice rising up at every word. "Takes a liar to get a liar, right?"

Elizabeta stared at Romano, her hands started shaking and Romano knew that he had crossed the line. But he just couldn't stop: "A good man? Don't make me laugh! You don't know shit, dammit! You haven't seen what I've seen!"

He paused, opened the door again.

"You are both liars…" he whispered then and looked down.

"Right…" Elizabeta said, not looking at him, "Right…", she made some steps forwards, to the door and Romano stared at her. Then she stopped again, startled by a chocking sound behind her. Romano was startled by the sound too and realized he had been the one to let it out. His fingers touched his cheeks and he stared at the drops of water on his fingertips. Romano couldn't believe he was crying over that bastard, but the thought didn't make him stop, as it should have done, on the contrary, it made him cry even harder. In a moment Elizabeta was over to him, hugging him like the mother she always had been to the Vargas brothers.

"I know you are sad, Romano…" Elizabeta soothing voice said.

"I am not sad…" Romano said and he realized it was true. He was not sad… "I am so angry…"

He would have been sad if Antonio had said there was no way they could continue going out.

He would have felt sad if Antonio had told him that he was going to Spain forever and he wasn't going to come back. Even in that occasion Romano would have followed him in Spain. He knew it. Antonio had known too.

But this time it was different. Whatever sadness he could have felt melted away from his anger.

Romano was just angry.

Angry at being lied to.

Angry at himself for once opening up to the wrong guy. For believing he was worthy.

Angry at the world that for once gave him something that really made him happy and took it away too soon from him.

Romano continued to cry against Elizabeta. He wanted to stop but the tears kept flowing out and even Eliza's arms around his body didn't help him calm down.

"We are both idiots…" Romano heard Elizabeta whisper. Romano didn't know how much they remained hugging like that but as soon as Romano calmed himself down, he fell asleep in Eliza's arms, exhausted. The next day he woke up alone in his bed and decided that he will take some days more off work and tango…

Two days later Elizabeta unexpectedly called him.

"I broke up with Roderich…" she said as soon as he picked the phone up, "There were no quarrels, nothing, we just parted ways like we knew this was going to happen sooner or later. He smiled at me, gave me one last kiss and told me to be happy. I feel so distressed. We are going to keep being friends, I know, but… I quite wish we had at least fought about it. Because now I know we had been on our own ages now…"

"Are you going to Gilbert?" Romano couldn't refrain from asking. There was a moment of silence in which Romano could hear Elizabeta softly breathing from the other side. Then a quite: "No".

"No?"

"I'm going to my mother's for a while. I need to clear my thoughts first. I guess… we are going to still see each other at the competition…?"

"Are you still going to compete?"

"Of course!" suddenly Elizabeta's cheerful tone was back, "After all the work we've done… We would like a last dance together…"

A last dance. Romano didn't like the sound of it. Another moment of silence, then Elizabeta asked:

"Are you okay, by the way?"

"Y-yeah…You?"

"Me too…"

They were both lying and they knew it.

After the conversation with Elizabeta, Romano finally found the courage to return to tango lessons again. Bella was the only one happy about it. As soon as she saw him, she hugged him and kissed him twice on each cheek, telling him how much she missed her partner. Romano scowled at her, told her to stop saying silly things and when he looked up at Antonio, his heart broke once more. They stared at each other for a long moment and Romano felt like drowning in Antonio's green eyes.

Romano cursed himself, because he shouldn't feel like that.

"Welcome back…" Antonio suddenly said, his voice so soft that it made Romano fell once again angry.

"Whatever…" was Romano's response before looking away, back to Bella, who couldn't wait to dance with him again. Lessons went smoothly by and Romano hoped that this tranquility would continue till the day of the competition.

It did. Antonio acted as if nothing happened, Romano promptly ignored him and Bella remained clueless in the middle of it all. It didn't last long though, because four days before the competition Romano received a phone call that would over again turn his world upside down.

In the middle of the night Romano's phone started ringing. Romano blinked sleep away and tried to find his bedside clock to see what time it was. It was past 3 o'clock after midnight and he wondered who was calling him so insistently at that hour. When he found his telephone, he was shocked to see Bella's name on the screen. He answered immediately:

"Hello…?"

"I'm sorry for waking you up!" Bella exclaimed and Romano was even more shocked to hear her sobbing.

"What happened?" he asked, immediately alarmed. Bella sobbed again and Romano heard a man talking on the other side.

"I'm sorry…" she said again, "In an hour I'm taking the first plane for Brussels…" she continued between sobs. "My brother…" she paused, "My brother had an accident… I must go to him…"

"Is he… okay?"

There was a pause as Bella started crying again. "I don't know…" she said in the end. "I called you to tell you there is no way I can make it to the competition…"

"Of course, Bella…" Romano said, "Call me as soon as you can…" he added then.

"I will..." she said from the other side, "Thank you.".

Romano didn't sleep well that night. He couldn't stop thinking about Bella, then, suddenly, he realized that if she couldn't participate, he couldn't either. Somewhere deep inside of him a sigh of relief washed through him.

The next day Romano decided to pay one last visit to Antonio. He had the right to know that he was out of the competition. He made his way to Antonio's apartment, his heart beating so loud Romano thought he was going to faint before Antonio's door. He managed to enter the building without pushing the button with Francis' surname on the tag and made his way up to their apartment. When he was just before the door he listened to Gilbert shouting and Antonio's voice softly replying something. He wondered for a moment what was going on but then Romano decided he really didn't care and ringed the doorbell, determined. All the shouting stopped and suddenly the door opened, revealing Francis' tired face. As soon as he recognized Romano, Francis beamed and hugged him, pulling his inside the house before Romano had the time to complain.

"Look who's here!" Francis shouted and Romano blushed as red and green eyes turned to stare at him. Suddenly Gilbert smiled too and hugged him and together with Francis pulled him to stand just before Antonio. Antonio blinked at the Italian, surprised, something that didn't help Romano say the things he wanted any easier.

"I came here…" Romano started but then stopped. He sighed. "Bella can't participate, she had to return back to Belgium immediately…"

"Is she okay?" Antonio asked suddenly worried as if someone had thrown him a bucket of freezing water on the head.

"I don't know. Her brother… something…" Romano said irritated. "Fact is she can't participate… I came… to tell you that and that I'm not going to either… so, goodbye…" Romano shouted and made to return back to the door but Gilbert's and Francis' arms prevented from running away. Romano had to look back at Antonio's face once more against his will.

"What a shame…" Antonio mused, "…after all the work we've done, but if…", Antonio seemed really let down but then, suddenly, his eyes seemed to shine and he looked back at Romano, hopeful: "But if you dance with me instead…"

Romano blinked first, unbelieving, then realizing Antonio was completely serious his started to shake his head no. Romano made a step back and slammed into Gilbert's or Francis' chest.

"Of course I…" Romano started, seeing that his first choice of running away was out of the question. He will tell the bastard that of course he won't dance with him! Are you out of your fucking mind and…

"Of course he will dance with you!" Francis suddenly exclaimed behind Romano, shutting the younger up. "The judges won't mind two men dancing, no?", Francis added before Romano could say something. Romano shot a murderous look up at the blond man, who just dismissed it by putting his hands around Romano's shoulders.

"O-of course not…" Antonio said, "It would be original, actually…"

"Deal!" Gilbert exclaimed, "Romano would LOVE to dance with you, no?"

"Of course n—" Romano wanted to shout again but then he made the big mistake of turning back to look at Antonio. Those eyes… dammit! The way Antonio was looking at him… why did it have such an effect on Romano?

"You…?" Francis' voice pushed Romano out of his reverie. Suddenly Elizabeta's words came to his mind: a last dance… it won't hurt so much… will it?

"I…I… damnit…" Romano cursed as he felt his cheek redden up.

"That's his yes, non?" Francis grinned and Romano covered his face with Gilbert's shirt. He didn't saw Antonio smiling brightly.

"Come to class later the afternoon as 5 o'clock…" Antonio said. "Katyusha and Matthew will be there too…" he added after a moment of hesitation. Romano knew what he meant, what Antonio was doing: he was assuring him they weren't going to be alone, there was no way Romano would feel awkward with Katyusha and Matthew there. Of course Antonio couldn't be more wrong as Romano knew that he would feel weird either way.

"He'll be there!" Francis said ignoring the way Romano was looking at him.

"Whatever! You are all bastards, anyway…" Romano shouted when the tension was too much to bear and with one move, freed himself from Gilbert's and Francis' hold and made a bee line to the door. "Is just for Bella, ok?" he shouted for good measure and heard Francis' laugh behind him. Romano slammed the door, hoping it broke and they had to spend money to fix it.

Romano after hours of thinking and cursing himself for being so weak, finally decided to go at tango class that day. Katyusha and Matthew seemed surprised to see him but when Romano told them the entire story they understood. Antonio came five minutes after him and he was surprised too that Romano had actually held his promise and came. They immediately went to work, with Katyusha and Matthew slowly dancing in the background.

Romano wasn't paying attention to them at all, really. All he could thing was how familiar Antonio's arms felt around him and how much he wanted to kick Antonio's leg, break it and disappear somewhere in Mexico. Of course Romano didn't have the courage to do it. That, and he didn't have enough money to take the first airplane to Mexico.

Antonio hadn't changed the steps much but he did the right modifications so it would look a lot better with two men dancing it. If Romano had to be sincere, he preferred the new version more, and if he didn't knew better, it was as if Antonio had tried with all his might to make this dance perfect. In the end you couldn't understand who was the leader and who the leaded of the dance. It could be either one of them, it had something mysterious in it, really and Romano didn't have any problems learning the new steps.

Of course he had a problem using them with Antonio as his partner.

"I'm not going to the competition…" he thought when Antonio's scent filled his nostrils. They were too close for comfort. "I'm going to pretend I'm sick or something…"

What about Bella?

For Bella? Hadn't he said so?

"Dammnit…", he didn't have the courage to make her feel bad that he too didn't participate to that competition because of her.

"What?" Antonio asked, "Did I step on you?"

Romano avoided his eyes. Like hell Antonio could step on Romano, he was too good of a dancer.

"And too good of a liar…" he reminded himself. "Just shut up…" he said out loud and made a step back to get away from all that heat. Antonio let him go and it was then that Romano noticed Katyusha and Matthew staring at them.

"What?" he exclaimed, starting to feel his face go red. The other pair started dancing again and Romano calmed down just a little.

"Are the steps too difficult?" Antonio asked. Romano cursed him. Stupid Antonio, not getting what the real problem was.

"No, dammit!" he exclaimed then bit his tongue when Matthew turned to look at him. "I…" he whispered. He stopped. He breathed. Antonio waited confused.

For Bella. Romano said again to himself. It's just for Bella.

"Let's continue…" he said then and resumed his first position.

If it was just for Bella… why it hurt so much?

Antonio's heat..

Antonio's scent.

His voice.

It hurt

Dammit, he couldn't do it.

"For Bella…" he reminded himself and tried to imagine someone else in Antonio's place. If he tried hard, it didn't hurt so much.


	10. Chapter 10

When Gilbert and Ludwig came to his new apartment, carrying the outfit Romano was going to wear for the competition, the concept of what he really was going to do hit Romano square in the face. Romano was going to dance with _Antonio_, in front of _million of people_. Okay, maybe not a million, but to Romano they were surely going to be enough to justify his need to break free. The truth was that Romano didn't know which was worse: Antonio or the audience, and in the end he decided it was a little bit of both and that he, Romano Vargas, had only one thing to declare:

"I'm NOT going!"

Romano tried to make a run for his bedroom, wishing he was going to be too fast for the Germans and that he will manage to lock himself in before either of them could say 'What the hell?'. Ludwig was quicker (months of chasing Feliciano around helped Ludwig a lot when dealing with scared Italians) and, moreover, he was much stronger than Romano, and in a moment he had Romano pinned down on the floor.

Romano tried to wiggle free but to no avail. Suddenly Romano looked up and saw Gilbert grinning at him, laughing infuriatingly as always.

"You are a coward!" Gilbert teased him. Romano glowered.

"No! I'm not, bastard!" he exclaimed when Romano realized he won't see his bedroom any time soon, "What the shit do you know, after all?" he spat. "Let me go! Let me go!"

"Oh, come on!" Gilbert said, he stared down at Romano disappointed. "Would you let Antonio down like that?"

"Of course I would!" Romano exclaimed and both brothers knew Romano meant it. Gilbert and Ludwig shared a look before Gilbert's face suddenly lighted up.

"Should I call Elizabeta to… _help you_ make up your mind?"

That seemed to do the trick and Romano stopped moving altogether. Gilbert nodded in pleasure and Ludwig finally let go of Romano, who just stood up and snatched the outfit from a grinning Gilbert's hands.

"I'm going to wait both of you in the car…" Ludwig sighed, massaging his temples, and walked away muttering something about Italians while Romano pouted in disapproval at the sparkling suit.

Hiding wouldn't work. Running wouldn't either and Romano had in the end change and follow Gilbert to the car, where Ludwig and Feliciano were already waiting for them. Throughout the ride Romano ignored Feliciano's babbling and the annoying German music from the radio and just wished he could just disappear. _Why_? Why had he said yes?

Half an hour later Ludwig searched for a parking place, Gilbert annoyed everyone by changing stations with amazing speed, while Feliciano said things like:

"Don't look so sour, Romano!" then a smile that wanted to be comforting, "It's going to be fun, I'm sure!"

"Of course, Feli…" Romano answered, "Every one is going to laugh their heads off as soon as I start to dance…"

"I didn't mean it like that…" Feliciano whined. The car stopped and once again Romano was dragged out without his consent. They walked together to the big hotel were the competition was being held and Romano bit his lips, nervous, as soon as he saw just how many people were going to be present.

There were many men and women with an air of superiority on them and Romano immediately understood that they were professional dancers, people who had won at least three competitions or more. What were the possibilities of them to even level up to them? They were officially screwed. Antonio was a real sadist…

Romano stared at them for a little more before he felt Feliciano tag him from the arm, motioning him to move on. They were escorted to a big ballroom with a big dance floor in the middle and rows of tables all around it, where people had already sat, waiting anxiously for the competition to begin, and chatting loudly to pass the time.

"Look at that…" Gilbert said and showed with his index finger the dance floor. "It's really huge!"

"Too many people!" Romano whined and Gilbert smirked.

"Oh, come on… you won't even notice when you'll start dancing!" Gilbert stated.

"Romano!" a voice suddenly shouted and they turned around to see a busty girl running up to them, followed calmly by Matthew. As soon as she was two feet away from them, she stopped and smiled brightly at the little group. She wore a really beautiful dark dress, not as revealing as Romano would have expected her to wear, but that at the same time didn't leave much to imagination because it was a little too tight on her.

"Hello…" Matthew said as soon as he approached them too.

"Oh, my! How are you feeling?" Katyusha exclaimed then, "I feel so nervous! Antonio told us there are 25 couples competing and we are one of the firsts! The couple number four to be exact!"

"Er…" Romano tried to change subject, "By the way, these are my brother, Feliciano, and my boss…Ludwig."

"You forgot me!" Gilbert immediately exclaimed. Katyusha smiled:

"I'm Katyusha and this is Matthew…" she said, "My family is here too!" she turned and pointed to a tall (creepy) blond man sitting on one of the many tables around the dance floor, who waved at them. "That's my brother, Ivan, and that's…" she pointed to a blond woman who looked even more dangerous than the large man "That's my sister, Natalia…".

The blond woman didn't wave at them, like her brother had done, just moved closer to him and hugged her brother possessively, grabbing his arm in a lethal grip. Ivan didn't seem too pleased about it, rather scared actually, Romano noticed.

"She is…" Katyusha laughed a little nervously, "She is special…"

"My brother is here too…" Matthew said then, "See the one with the huge American flag?"

Romano searched with his eyes and spotted the said man immediately. Matthew and his brother looked a lot alike but while Matthew was there standing calm, the other was waving maniacally the American flag, disturbing those who were sitting around him. There was a blond man who was trying to make the other sit down and Romano wondered if they knew each other or he just was a man annoyed by the flag slapped incessantly into his face.

"That's Arthur…" Matthew said, answering Romano's silent question. "He's… well… I don't know really but, considering how they act around each other, he must be Alfred's boyfriend…"

"Oh, there you are!" someone suddenly exclaimed and the little group turned to look at Elizabeta and Roderich slowly approaching them. Elizabeta glanced at Gilbert and Romano thought she saw her smiling just a little before continuing: "So, are you ready for the big show?"

"What number do you have?" Matthew asked.

"Number…" Elizabeta stopped and thought for a moment before she looked at Roderich. The man sighed and answered in her place:

"Number 16"

"Oh, right!" Elizabeta smiled again, "I can't wait! Romano, you?"

"I…" Romano started and then, as if on cue, Antonio suddenly appeared, followed closely by Francis.

"Hello to everyone!" Antonio said cheerfully as always. Francis waved at them, grinning widely. He winked at Katyusha, who blushed, then he suddenly exclaimed:

"Oh, Matthew! Long time, no see!"

"Indeed…" Matthew said with a smile. Romano's eyes widened in shock:

"You know this pervert?" he exclaimed. Matthew laughed shyly while Francis pouted at Romano, as if offended.

"He was my French teacher…" Matthew explained.

"Romano…" suddenly Antonio said, diverting everybody's attention back to them. Antonio then looked at Romano, who hitched his breath a little as soon as Antonio's eyes were on him. "Romano, we are…" Antonio stopped and looked a little down before continuing: "We are the 20th couple, okay?"

"I…" Romano swallowed. Everyone noticed the tension between them but didn't say anything. "Okay", Romano abruptly answered and looked everywhere else but Antonio.

"Good…" Antonio nodded, "I'll… I need to talk to the judges now…" Antonio said and smiled again, "See you! Katyusha, please don't panic, okay?" he flashed a smile at her. Katyusha nodded and blushed. Antonio smiled again and walked away where the judges stood. Everyone looked back at Romano, who pretended nothing had happened. Suddenly Francis put a hand on Romano's shoulder and leaned to whisper in his ear:

"I need to talk to you"

"What?"

But before Romano could realize what was happening, Francis took him by the arm and exclaimed:

"Find a table, we will be right back!"

"Be quick, the competition is going to start soon…" Elizabeta said, "Guys, I found some really nice seats there!"

Francis kept smiling and as soon as everyone left them alone, he turned around and dragged Romano away from the big ballroom.

"What are you doing!" Romano shouted but Francis put a hand over his mouth and didn't answer Romano's question. Romano tried to free himself but Francis had a tight grip on him and suddenly they were out in the hotel's lobby, which was deserted apart from a woman at the reception.

"I think here is good…" Francis said and pushed Romano to sit on one of the sofas.

"What the fuck are you doing, you bastard?" he tried to stand up but Francis pushed him back again.

"Antonio is an idiot and I can't take to see both of you suffering anymore!" Francis suddenly exclaimed and Romano stopped cursing and looked up at Francis, shocked.

"What?" Romano as soon as the surprise was gone. "I know he is a fucking idiot but what that has to do with me?"

Francis sighed and sat down near Romano, who moved a little away in fear. Francis clenched Romano's hand, afraid the younger man would attempt to escape once more.

"When Antonio returned home that day, after he said those things to you, he cried himself to sleep…" Francis suddenly said, "He was so pathetic, and kept repeating how much you are going to hate him over and over… but when we told him he should tell you the truth he kept saying it was best for you not to know…"

Romano blinked at Francis, not believing a word Francis was telling him.

"I'm not following you…" Romano said. "If you are trying to fucking justify him…" Romano felt suddenly angry, "…I don't want to hear a single word! I don't fucking care about that retard!" he shouted and tried to stand up again.

"I'm not justifying him!" Francis exclaimed, "I'm trying to explain to you!"

"What?" Romano shouted, "I don't need explanations! He used me! He lied to me! What there is more to explain?"

"It's more complicated than that, Romano!" Francis said, keeping a strong grip on Romano's arm. "It's true, he lied to you, but not in the way you think of!"

"That's not making me feel any fucking better!" Romano yelled. The woman at the reception looked up to them, worried, Francis just flashed a smile to her that made her blush and look away, before he returned his attention to Romano.

"Calm down!" Francis whispered angrily and the way the blond looked at him made Romano shut up. Suddenly Francis regained his calm composure again and sighed. "Will you just hear me out?"

Romano's eyes became slits as he looked suspiciously at Francis and the blond decided that as long as Romano wasn't shouting, he could keep talking.

"I should start from the beginning…" Francis said, "I know Antonio since we were kids…" Francis said, "We have a cousin in common and every summer my mother used to take me to Antonio's village in Spain to visit them. This is how I met Antonio…"

"I don't care!"

"Just shut up and listen…" Francis said. He waited a moment for Romano to calm down and then continued: "Antonio and I weren't such big friends in the beginning. I really couldn't stand him because he always tried to dirty my clothes and hair. My mother couldn't stand him either. He was a real pest, he couldn't concentrate on things more than five minutes and always declared how much he wanted to see the world. He was always out of home and I always ended up searching for him after the sun had set. Antonio was always in trouble for one reason or another, he did a lot of stupid things, and the villagers thought he wasn't smart at all. But Antonio was just a hyperactive child…

His father and mother were the only one who stood up for him, who actually understood him. His father always went from house to house, asking to forgive his child, that he was just a curious boy. Antonio's parents tried everything to make everyone understand that Antonio wasn't stupid, but the rumor had already become fact and they couldn't do anything about it. The villagers just looked at Antonio's parents with pity. Poor parents, they said, they couldn't see Antonio was retarded…

Antonio's father, Felipe, was a really good man, so patient and always with a smile on his face. Antonio resembles him so much, both in character and in appearance. His father made everything on his own, he worked hard every day, he helped his own father every day with the farmland they owned, then he earned money risking his life to the bulls… He married Antonio's mother and paid for the wedding with his own money, never asked for help, always helped everyone in need. Antonio's father was too nice for his own good and everyone tried to use him.

He had two younger brothers, who weren't as hardworking as he was. Antonio's grandfather couldn't stand the way they acted and decided that everything he owned was going to be Felipe's one day. Antonio's father on the other didn't really care about the land and even after he became the richest man in the village, he kept saying that he already had what he needed: a wife and a kid to love…"

Francis stopped for a moment to ascertain Romano was still listening then continued:

"The two brothers were really jealous of Felipe and felt like shit when they discovered he was going to inherit everything. They found the chance to obtain all the farmland when Felipe's died in that accident when Antonio was twelve years old… the only obstacle was that now Antonio was the owner of the land but they used the fact that Antonio was considered stupid and paid all the lawyers they could to obtain everything legally. After all they were the only living, smart, relatives, they said, who could run the properties to their best. So, Antonio's uncles pushed the rumors about Antonio to the limit and declared that Antonio was too much of a happy idiot to be in charge of all the land."

"And Antonio didn't do anything about it?" Romano suddenly asked.

"Well, he really didn't care, or, to tell you the truth, he couldn't believe that his relatives wanted to harm him in that way. It was only when one of his uncles, unintentionally, let slip that Felipe didn't die entirely by accident that Antonio finally understood the truth… All of a sudden Antonio had the entire village against him and a murdered father to revenge. He snapped. Just like that. You can't possibly imagine how much of delinquent he became after that, he had a little gang of his own, he caused harm, demanded money and they beat however went against them. The village wasn't against Antonio anymore, because it feared him too much to do something, but, of course, this kind of behavior didn't help the lawyers decide he was worth inheriting the land and became keener to give Antonio's uncles the role of the landlords.

Antonio's mother tried to stop him many times but to no avail and when she couldn't take it anymore, she decided to leave everything and moved to Madrid to forget everything. What her son did wasn't in her hands anymore. Nevertheless, she asked me to take care of him. After all, she said, even if you two don't show it, you are great friends. Oh, Romano, I tried… I tried to help him but nothing could stop him. Only tango seemed to calm Antonio a little but his tango teacher too couldn't convince Antonio that it wasn't worth it. Antonio ignored me most of the time but one day, we were seventeen, I said something mean to him and he snapped again, and this time, he almost killed me... see this?"

Francis pulled the collar of his shirt a little down and Romano stared at the scar a little down his collarbone.

"I can still remember the knife against my throat." Francis continued, "I remember the blood running cold in my veins and the coldness of his eyes, it made you want to die on the spot. It was like another man was standing before me, it wasn't Antonio. Fortunately he seemed to realize what he was doing soon enough. He dropped the knife, stared at me and walked away. I think it was in that moment that he understood it was enough, that he was hurting the people he loved the most, and he wanted to change. Antonio…" Francis sighed, "Antonio from then on stopped reacting all together, he became this condescending man you met. Antonio decided to move away from Spain, I followed him. We went to college. We met Gilbert…"

A pause. Francis sighed.

"Gilbert and I tried with all our might to make him react, be a human again and not some kind of smiling robot. We bothered him for silly things, we made him do all the work, nothing!" Francis suddenly looked up at Romano, "Then you came… and he is back to normal. Do you understand how much you saved him?"

"I didn't do anything…" Romano said.

"You did so many things. I thank you for it…"

"I…" Romano blushed, "I just called him stupid…"

Francis blinked at him and then started to laugh. Romano scowled but he felt like smiling too.

"Will you end this damned story now?" Romano exclaimed.

"Yes, of course…" Francis said as soon as the all the laughing died out, "Antonio kept fighting for the land that is rightfully his. The lawyers saw Antonio's change and this Christmas they finally decided what it was going to happen to the land."

"And?"

"They decided that Antonio was going to obtain the land on one condition: he had to move in the village forever and work there or the farmland wasn't to be considered his. Antonio had won but there is a problem…"

"Which is?" Romano asked. Francis smiled a little and put a hand on Romano's shoulder.

"You, Romano. Antonio didn't want to leave you. But he had been craving revenge since forever and he had to move back to Spain. Antonio didn't want to tell you anything because it's his cross to bear and he knows that you would move out with him if told. Antonio can't do that to you, you have a family here, a job, friends, and the village has nothing to offer you but loneliness. Antonio wants you to forget about him. He tried to make you angry because that way he could push you away, he said those things to you so you would hate him. Antonio had always thought, and that because it had always worked for him, that anger it's easier to get over with than sadness.

It's crazy, I know. Antonio tried to do the same thing to me when he almost killed me. God knows why he thought it would work, considering it hadn't worked the first time. He made us swear not to tell you. Gilbert is loyal and didn't open his mouth, but he tried to tell you things using his girlfriend. I tried not to tell anything but you two are suffering too much and I'm telling you now.

Please, try to understand Antonio.

You can't imagine how much he is in love with you. "

"In love with me?" Romano suddenly stuttered and blushed. Francis just nodded and Romano was left in thought. Romano looked up at Francis, then he looked down at his hands.

Romano shook his head.

"He lied to me…" Romano whispered, "He… he used me in a way…" then he looked back up at Francis, "I don't know how much to believe… I… I'm sorry, Francis… I will… just let him go…" and suddenly Romano stood up from the sofa and ran back to the ballroom before Francis could stop him.

Romano sat down near his brother a moment later. The announcer thanked couple 17 and Romano watched as the next couple walked on the dance floor. Feliciano looked at Romano and whispered:

"Where have you been?" Feliciano asked, "You missed Elizabeta!"

"I know… I just…" Romano fell silent. "I just took a long walk…"

"Well, don't worry, Elizabeta is recording everything. We will watch together back at home!" Feliciano said cheerfully. Romano nodded absentmindedly and watched as the next couple started to dance.

No way.

No way can he forgive Antonio.

He lied to him. He planned to leave without telling him. Romano could see the reasons behind his actions, but Antonio should have explained to him. Didn't he trust him? Wasn't Romano worthy of his trust?

Suddenly Romano felt angry again. If Antonio really loved him, he wouldn't have used him that night, he wouldn't have showed him love and then took it back. If Antonio really did love him, he would stay. If Antonio loved him…

The couple in the middle of the dance floor was good. They swayed before everyone eyes in time with the music and the smile on their faces didn't falter once. The woman was stunning and the man dancing with her was holding her as if she was a delicate flower.

_Did you think I am that delicate, Antonio? Were you afraid to break me? _

Suddenly the music faded away and the couple bowed to the cheering crowd. Feliciano was one of them, Romano glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

_I shouldn't be here… I'm an idiot. _

Romano sighed and decided to leave everything and return home. He couldn't dance with Antonio, because now that he knew the truth, Romano would cry before everybody when Antonio left him forever.

"Feliciano, I'm…" Romano suddenly said, turning to look at his brother, who grinned at him.

"You are next, yes!" Feliciano said. Romano shook his head.

"No, listen, I'm…"

"And now welcome couple 20!" the announcer said and suddenly Romano heard a voice behind him calling his name. Romano turned around and met Antonio's eyes as he extended his hand to Romano.

"Should we go?" Antonio said and Romano stared at the sadness in those green eyes. He didn't move from his seat and he saw Antonio's hand shake a little. Suddenly Romano felt Feliciano pushing him out of his chair and he took Antonio's hand by mistake, afraid we would fall.

"Good luck!" Feliciano shouted. Romano growled at him, slapped Antonio's hand away and then walked fast towards the dance floor.

"What I'm doing?" Romano shouted in his head. "I should leave! I can't stand this humiliation anymore!"

The crowd started cheering as soon as he walked on the dance floor. The lights went out leaving only a ray to illuminate them. Antonio moved to stand just before Romano and Romano felt as if they were the only ones in the room. The music started playing. The crowd felt silent, waiting.

But Romano didn't move. He should have been the first one to but he didn't. He just stared at Antonio, who stared right back at him.

"Bastard…" Romano suddenly said, "…you think this is funny?"

Antonio didn't even flinch at his words and just started to move towards him. Romano's heart started to beat madly inside his chest, and then he felt Antonio's arms around him, encircling his waist and Antonio breathing softly against his ear.

"I'm sorry…"

Antonio started to move and Romano felt too weak to withstand him. Romano followed Antonio steps, his body moving on its own accord, having memorized the steps perfectly. Romano's body was pressed hard against Antonio's one as they started to swirl. Romano felt Antonio's body under his palms, he grabbed the other's shoulders when Antonio lifted him up a little, then Romano stared right into Antonio's eyes as he slid down against Antonio. There was friction that made them stop breathing. Then Romano was looking up at Antonio, almost between the other's legs and then they moved again around. Romano was back onto his feet and Antonio's hands were on his waist, then down on his tight. Antonio was touching him and Romano danced. They were both panting. Two steps forwards, one on the side, and suddenly the contact was gone. They danced for a moment separately but they felt cold and Antonio grabbed Romano's arm and pulled him close again.

Romano felt Antonio's chest with his hands, then down lower, but they abruptly stopped and they diverted they course back to Antonio's chest. Antonio was watching him, Romano looked away. They both stopped breathing as Antonio's lips came close to Romano's neck, lingering there for a moment. Romano tilted his head back then he moved abruptly away as if burned and turned to walk away.

But Antonio captured Romano's waist and Romano is pushed back against Antonio. They danced like that for a moment, before Antonio turned Romano to look at him. They foreheads touched. Romano closed his eyes. The last steps were Romano's. He clung onto Antonio so as not to fall and then they both stopped moving.

The music stopped together with them.

The lights went off again.

Antonio and Romano searched each other lips in the dark. It was quick and just a little bit messy, but they didn't want to let go and when the crowd started cheering they reluctantly moved away from one another.

Antonio took Romano's hands and he bowed to the crowd. Romano followed his lead, annoyed. The announcer thanked them and suddenly Romano felt Antonio's fingers leave his own. Antonio didn't look back and just walked away from him. Romano bit his lips and walked over back to his brother.

"He is going to leave me forever…" Romano thought then and looked back at Antonio, who walked back to where Francis and Gilbert were sitting, still applauding. "And I love him…"

Romano was shocked.

"I love him…" he whispered to himself. "What I'm saying… that's fucking ridiculous! He is going to leave me…" and literally slapped himself. He was so lost in thought that he didn't expect somebody suddenly hugging him.

"You were amazing!" Feliciano exclaimed.

"Oh, my, it was the sexiest dance ever!" Elizabeta added and raised her camera to the air. "This is going to be my favorite video!"

"Give me that damned camera!" Romano shouted but the outburst was halfhearted. Romano looked back at Antonio.

"You surely are going to win!" Feliciano stated. Then Matthew and Katyusha said something too but Romano wasn't listening to them anymore. He just stared at Antonio.

"I'm going to tell him…" Romano thought and he looked back at his friends' faces. "Tell him what?" he thought then confused.

The announcer called the next number and the group suddenly felt silent again as they all sat back to their seats.

"When everything is over…" Romano thought. "…I'm going to tell him to stay…".

Romano then became so absorbed in what he was going to tell Antonio that he didn't realize that Antonio wasn't in the ballroom anymore….

_I really hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter! I don't like something with it, but I really can't figure out what's wrong. Anyway, as you probably understood, the next one is going to be the last one. Will it be a happy ending or a sad one? I still don't know. Anyway, I thought about two time periods for Spain's story, I wonder if anyone will recognize which ones. I'm not going to tell you anything; I'll just let imagination flow. See you next! Review me please, I'm really curious to know what you thought of it! :) _


	11. Chapter 11

**A.N.: Well, this is the last chapter of Dance with Me. I'm really sorry for the long delays with this story but I really hope I made it up to you with this chapter. It feels so long since I accompanied my friend to her first tango lesson and had the idea for this story but here we are, another story is over. I would like to thank everyone who stuck with me till the very end! To all the reviewers and for all the favs! I really thank you! Your words gave me strength to write! :D But now, let's stop being sentimental and let's let you enjoy the rest! Sorry, as always, for any grammatical or lexical error and yeah, I wish I owned Hetalia. :P **

It took him a while to realize something was wrong, but Romano was too lost in thought to notice. He just stared at the couple dancing in the middle of the room, but while their moves had captured his eyes, his mind was elsewhere.

Romano suddenly remembered their old house in Italy. The liveliness of the memory startled him, the sound of the river, Feliciano laughing… Romano remembered that day as if it had happened yesterday. It was the day Romano, blinded by anger and jealousy, had pushed his little brother in the river and had watched him helplessly try to get out of the water before the atrocity of his own action had hit him.

Fortunately, their father had dived immediately into the river to save Feliciano and took him to the hospital in time but Romano felt too guilty to even visit Feliciano after the accident happened. He had been surprised when his father had told him that Feliciano had been crying his name over and over and wouldn't eat if Romano wasn't near him. So Romano had to accompany their father to the hospital and he was surprised to see Feliciano smiling widely at him and opening his arms, demanding a hug, as soon as they saw each other.

Romano couldn't understand how someone could still love someone that hurt them.

Now he could.

When the thought hit him, Romano finally raised his eyes and tried to find Antonio in the middle of the crowd. He wanted to tell him that Antonio had been stupid for not trusting him, that if Antonio wanted to go, Romano would accept it, that he didn't hate him, that he could never hate him…

The last couple bowed to the cheering crowd but Romano was the only one not paying attention. Suddenly he said:

"Feli?"

"Yeah?" his brother looked at him, still clapping. Romano frowned.

"Where's Antonio?"

Feliciano stopped what he was doing and stared at Romano, his smile slowly fading.

"A-Antonio?" he repeated and then it was Feliciano's turn to look confused, "He left hours ago" Feliciano then said, "He told us goodbye long before you two danced." Feliciano continued then stopped, once again deep in thought, "Oh, yeah, you were out with Francis!"

Romano stared at Feliciano, blinked at him, and then started swearing: "Dammit! Dammit!" and put on his coat. Feliciano looked at him then suddenly grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing?"

Romano started at his shaking hand between Feliciano's fingers and didn't answer. Suddenly he realized everyone was watching them and Elizabeta especially seemed really worried. Romano blushed, either from anger or embarrassment, he didn't know.

"Romano…" Elizabeta suddenly said, "Is everything alright?"

No, dammit! Romano wanted to shout but he just groaned in frustration and stood abruptly up.

"That idiot!" Romano yelled, angry again, "That fucking son of a…!"

"What it the matter with you, sir?" a woman sitting behind him said. Romano gave her the finger and then stared at Elizabeta. Feliciano talked with the lady, trying to apologize for Romano's behavior.

"That idiot, Elizabeta!" he shouted, "He left without a goodbye! I'm going to kill him!"

Elizabeta turned to look at Gilbert, who in turn looked at Francis, who sighed.

"I thought you hated him…" Francis said. Romano groaned again.

"No, I d-don't…" Romano started and blushed, "What do you care! I need to go to the airport!"

"Eh?" everyone shouted in unison and then suddenly Elizabeta and Gilbert were both grinning like idiots.

"Why?" they asked together. Romano cursed at them and looked at Francis.

"When is the airplane leaving?" Romano exclaimed, "I hope I'm still in time to rip his guts out!". Romano groaned again as he met Francis' grin. "Don't dare to comment on it!"

"Sir, we are trying to watch the show!" another lady said, presumably the other's woman friend.

"Shut up!" Romano shouted, "Don't you realize that I'm going to lose something really important here!"

"Oh, so _now _he is important!" Francis said. Romano almost wanted to punch him. Almost.

"That is so romantic!" Elizabeta shouted, "He is going to run after him!" she continued. Gilbert laughed then looked at Romano.

"Calm down, lover boy…" he said, "The plane doesn't leave but in an hour…"

"Idiots!" Romano shouted, "Who said I'm running after that bastard! I—" he cursed once more, became redder every second more.

And suddenly there was a sigh so loud that made everyone stop talking all together.

"Romano." Ludwig stood up and put on his own coat, "Let's go…"

Romano stared at his boss and Ludwig sighed again, frustrated. Feliciano grinned, stood up too and took Romano's hand. Romano was shocked, to say the least, and almost didn't hear Elizabeta shouting after him:

"Do everything you can to make him stay!"

"Let us know who won, alright?" Feliciano said instead and Elizabeta nodded.

The next moments passed to slowly for Romano's tastes. He climbed into the car, hoped they would go faster, but then there were cars, cars, cars everywhere! And Romano was starting to feel anxious. Minutes ticked by. The traffic was too slow.

And Romano felt really stupid.

He stared at the sky, hoping that Antonio's flight hadn't still taken off. Romano wanted to slap himself. If he hadn't been so stubborn and so insecure of himself, Antonio would be with him back in the ballroom, hoping together to win. But Romano had been so stupid. He had taken all Antonio's words as facts, before thinking over them.

_"I don't care if you didn't get me anything…I don't need anything as long as I am with you…"_

_"It is because whenever you blush you look just like a little tomato. See?"_

Antonio's stupid gift: the scarf with the tomatoes. Romano wanted Antonio to see him wearing it.

_"Happy new year, Romano!"_

When he called him that day…

_"Antonio… you are bleeding…"_

When Romano had almost been hit by a car.

_"At least it isn't you…"_

Antonio's scar. Would somebody who thought Romano was nothing but a pastime, risk his life like that?

Romano had been so stupid. He hadn't seen how sincere Antonio had been.

_"And I'm taking you out!"_

_"You… what?", _

_"Well, to make it up to you for everything…"_

_"To make it up…?"_

_"Yeah… For our first date that was totally a fiasco, for snapping at you, for not giving you enough attention or…"_

They were both idiots and now they were a step away from losing each other forever. Romano wouldn't allow that but the traffic was still slow and the clock kept ticking…

An hour before Antonio would leave forever.

Forty minutes.

Thirty minutes.

Twenty.

Ten.

So when they stopped before the entrance Romano didn't even wait, he just jumped off the car and started running.

Five.

_"Remember that day in the park?"_

_"No, I don't remember we ever went to a park…"_

_"Romano~"_

Romano searched in the big board for Antonio's flight. The airport was full with people and everyone seemed to go too slow, becoming an obstacle for Romano.

_"I thought you would hate me…"_

Antonio. You are such an idiot.

Why did I fall in love with you?

Romano ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He bumped into people, tried to not trip over bags and children and, so uncharacteristically from him, he didn't stop to glare at whoever dared to insult him. In that moment he couldn't care less while his eyes searched frantically around.

People started to look at him funnily and Romano suddenly realized he was shouting Antonio's name, over and over and over… He pushed harshly aside whoever blocked his vision but Antonio was never there and where was Antonio? Romano thought he wasn't too late, he would never forgive himself if he did, and then there was the gate and Romano ran towards it but there was only the hostess waiting at the other side of the counter…

"The flight for Spain!" he exclaimed, then he calmly repeated: "The flight for Spain…"

The hostess looked at him for a moment, then she smiled apologetically at him:

"I'm sorry" she said, "The flight for Spain has already taken off, but I can book a seat for the next one if you want…" and she starting typing at the computer in front of her. Romano couldn't believe his ears. A moment.

He had delayed a moment.

And Antonio was gone.

The young woman told him something, then Romano just heard her stop typing and he looked up at her, startled by the expression on her face.

"I-I!" she was saying, "Don't cry, sir, everything is alright!" she panicked and looked around her searching for help. Romano blinked at her confused and suddenly realized how wet his cheeks were.

He softly touched under his eye and stared fascinated at the tears on the tip of his fingers. The hostess was still telling him something along the lines that everything was alright, that there was a flight next thing in the morning, Romano wasn't listening. Still staring at the tears, he started sobbing madly. He felt so stupid and wanted to stop but it only led him to chock on his own sobs.

Romano suddenly felt a pair of arms encircling his waist and Romano didn't need to turn to recognize his brother's scent.

"I'm too late!" Romano said and turned around. "I'm too late!"

Feliciano started whispering things to him but Romano didn't listen. His frustration only got worse when he realized that behind Feliciano, Ludwig was standing by, watching them. Romano just hid his face in the crook of his brother's neck and pretended he was alone.

"Let's go home…" Feliciano said. "Please, Romano."

"The bastard…" Romano whispered and pulled by his brother, he started moving away from the hostess who stared at them perplexed. "Tell Elizabeta…" Romano said, trying to hide his tears, "…that she should know life it's not a movie…."

"Yes…" Feliciano just said.

"She should have known that I would have never managed to catch him in time, that life is not like freaking romance movies where everything happens…" Romano continued, but somehow he knew he wasn't referring to their female friend. "The bastard", he whispered then.

Ludwig just walked behind them, the only one listening to Feliciano's soothing words. Everyone started at the strange trio and started whispering things to each other, worried about why that young man was crying so hard.

"It's as everyone is crying in this airport…" an old lady said to her husband, "That other man too was crying, remember darling? The one with the sparkling outfit?"

Feliciano suddenly stopped and stared at the old couple, walking away from them. Romano was too deep in thought to realize they had stopped moving but when Feliciano untangled his arms from around him, Romano finally looked at his brother.

"It's something wrong?" Ludwig asked.

Feliciano didn't say anything and just walked quickly back to the old couple. He stopped them and Ludwig and Romano watched him talk to them for a moment before running back to them. Feliciano took Romano arm and started pulling him to the other side of the airport.

"Romano, let's go!" he exclaimed, at which Romano blinked.

"Feliciano, I'm not in the fucking mood!" he said, gritting his teeth. Feliciano shook his head.

"Come on!" and he started pulling harder. Romano sighed, dried his tears (or tried to) and let Feliciano drag him away. Ludwig just sighed and followed them. They ran and walked for some minutes before Feliciano suddenly stopped.

"Let's just go home, Feli!" Romano shouted. "I'm sick and tired of this game! I just want—"

"Romano?"

Suddenly the world stopped spinning and Romano stared at the owner of the voice. His heart stopped beating and Romano stared at Antonio still wearing his suit, sitting some feet away from them, a big bag between his legs. Antonio suddenly stood up and Romano stared at Antonio's red rimmed eyes.

Antonio kicked the bag away and started moving towards them. Romano looked at him, then he started moving too and when he was close enough to feel Antonio's body, he… punched him in the stomach.

Romano felt a little better when Antonio almost kneeled down from the pain, then he started shouting:

"Did you think that was funny? You think I liked being lied to! You bastard! I want to so fucking kill you! You dared to leave without telling me goodbye! I hate you, you bastard, son of a—"

And suddenly Antonio was embracing him and Romano felt Antonio's heartbeat under his ear. The sound soothed him and he stopped shouting altogether.

"I'm sorry!" Antonio was whispering to his ear. "I am so sorry…"

Romano tried to tangle himself free but Antonio was stronger than him or at least, that was what Romano wanted to think.

"I'm an idiot, I'm a bastard, you are right, Romano. I'm so sorry, I should have seen sooner… I should have understood that my life would be miserable without you… what's a land? What is money? If I'm not with you, I'm nothing…"

Romano listened to him and closed his eyes.

"Sorry it's not enough. You hurt me." Romano stated and he held Antonio's tighter.

"I know. I know you can't forgive me that easily, but I swear I'll make it up to you…"

Romano remained still and let Antonio hug him. For now he was happy Antonio had decided not to take that plane.

"And then?"

Romano stared at Bella, who watched him with a soft smile on her lips. She took a sip of her coffee and Romano looked down at his own steaming cup. The bar was almost empty as everyone was already leaving to go to work.

"And then what?" Romano repeated and looked away from Bella's amused face. "We just returned home and talked it out…"

"I missed so many things!" Bella suddenly exclaimed and stretched. "I feel like I've been a year away! Well, I couldn't have done anything about it…" she continued, "What with my brother and all…" she sighed, "At least he just broke a leg, but he made us really worried for a whole week!"

"He's your older brother, isn't he?" Romano asked then.

"Yeah…" Bella said.

"You have to be patient with older brothers…" Romano then said, at which Bella laughed.

Romano couldn't believe how much his life had changed in just a year and it all started with his boss telling him he needed to relax a little.

Now his boss, Ludwig (he managed to say his name clearly) and his brother Feliciano were together, living in the old house Romano and Feliciano used to share. It was a pain in the ass but Romano finally accepted the fact that his brother was old enough to decide on his own.

Suddenly Romano, who had been practically friendless all his life, had finally found people to rely on. Yes, some of them were really out of their minds, but others were more normal. Like Bella, for example.

"What about the competition?" she asked then.

"Matthew and Katyusha won…" Romano said and smiled as Bella's smile widened.

"Really?" she exclaimed, "Their dream became true?"

"Apparently…" Romano said and smiled a little back.

"What about you? Elizabeta? Roderich?" she asked then.

"Oh, we didn't win _that._" Romano explained.

As soon as Romano and Antonio had returned to the latter's apartment (Ludwig and Feliciano's in tow), Elizabeta had called them to hear what happened with Antonio first, and to told them the news, second.

Matthew and Katyusha had won the competition. The news made them all so happy that for a moment Romano had forgot his anger, Antonio had forgot his shame and they had kissed fervently for a whole minute before Ludwig's and Feliciano's eyes. Romano would never forget the embarrassment he felt later…

"And what about Elizabeta?"

Elizabeta… one of Romano's first friends.

"Expect a wedding invitation any time soon." he said.

If the other day at the office was of any indication, Elizabeta was going to be married soon. She and Romano had been working on some projects when suddenly Gilbert slammed open his office's door, making all the employees stop what they were doing and had shouted, loud and clear:

"Elizabeta!"

Elizabeta just looked up from her papers, lazily. Gilbert grinned like an idiot and said:

"Marry me!"

"No…" and she had looked back down on the papers at hand. Romano, though, noticed her smiling.

Later that night Elizabeta called him and described the ring Gilbert had brought for her.

"She is crazy…" Bella said, laughing, "I like her a lot. And what about you?"

"M-me?" Romano stuttered.

"Yeah!" Bella exclaimed as a matter of fact, "You've been telling me about everybody else but not about you. What about you?" she asked again.

And what about Romano?

A week before Ludwig had called him to his office. Romano had felt his stomach start churning and he made his way to his boss' office with uncertain steps. The feeling got worse when he closed the door behind him.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked.

"Yes," Ludwig said, "I wanted to congratulate you on the splendid job you do and that I want to give you a raise"

Ludwig had been so straight to the point that Romano for the first few moments didn't know what hit him.

"What?" he asked surprised and then a angrier: "What? If it's because Feliciano…"

"Miss Dalton told me so" Ludwig said. "Feliciano has nothing to do with work"

Romano was shocked. Miss Dalton, or Mrs. Frog-face, as Romano called her, had always seemed to hate his guts. Look at that, Romano thought; in the end she liked him.

"She told me that you were wasted to work as a simple secretary. I agreed with her…" Ludwig said. "And so from tomorrow you are promoted to assistant…"

"P-promoted?" Romano couldn't believe his ears.

His life was going to worse to good to ever better. But then there was just a little detail to clarify.

"Whose assistant?"

"Gilbert's"

Well, you can have everything in life.

"And what about Antonio?" Bella smiled. Romano blushed, coughed and then looked away from her.

It took Romano all the courage of the world to ask Antonio to move in with him. No one could understand how nervous Romano was when he finally knocked on Antonio's apartment door and tried to have a private conversation with the older man.

Of course, as soon as the words left his mouth, Antonio had immediately told Gilbert and Francis, had kissed him, danced with him, and had disappeared inside his room to pack.

Typical Antonio.

Since that day at the airport Antonio had treated Romano like a divinity. He tried everything he could to regain Romano's trust. So now they were sharing an apartment together and Romano made Antonio cook, clean, iron, wash the dishes….

Of course Romano pretended that he didn't like the attention and he knew that it wasn't going to last forever. With Antonio you never know, though…

What about tango? Romano continued dancing with Antonio, but not as a student anymore. He went to class whenever he pleased and watched Antonio teach. From time to time Antonio would ask Romano to dance with him to show the class and Romano would happily oblige.

"We don't want anyone to touch him, eh?" Bella smirked.

"He's mine."

In the end Romano realized that life was beautiful when you have someone to dance with and from now on Romano couldn't keep from smiling whenever he signed a paper.

"Oh, he's here!" Bella said, "Okay, I should go now…" she said and stood up. "See you soon!" she smiled at him. Romano turned around and saw Antonio waving madly at him from the door. Antonio then greeted Bella and then sat down beside Romano.

"Hi!" Antonio said with that idiotic smile of his. Romano frowned.

"Why are you so happy?"

"It's official!" Antonio grinned, "My mother can't wait to meet you!"

Romano stared at Antonio and then he couldn't stop smiling too.

"We have a lot of work to do…" Romano said. Antonio nodded.

"I'll do anything!" he exclaimed. "It's worth it…"

Romano nodded. He liked his new name after all.

Romano Vargas-Carriedo.


End file.
